The Kogi State House of Assembly, on Monday, called for the sacking of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, over what the Assembly described as the unprofessional handling of the corruption case against the immediate-past Kogi governor, Yahaya Bello.
The legislators, during plenary in Lokoja, the state capital, on Monday, alleged Olukayode’s “unprofessional” handling of the case against the immediate past Governor of the state, Yahaya Bello.
They also condemned what they described as the EFCC operatives’ attack on the Kogi State Government Lodge, saying it was an attack on the Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, and the entirety of the Kogi people.
The lawmakers accused the Olukoyede-led EFCC of attempting to assassinate both Bello and the incumbent Governor Usman Ododo by allegedly firing gunshots during the attempt to arrest Bello in Abuja.
This followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Hon. Akus Lawal, representing Ankpa 1 State Constituency. Hon Jacob Olawunmi, Mopamuro State Constituency, seconded the motion.
Hon. Akus said the EFCC was out to humiliate and possibly kill the present and former governors, an argument also chorused by other lawmakers.
Hon. Olawumi, who seconded the motion, stressed that the Audited Financial Reports of the State had always been published by the State Government, arguing that “the State House of Assembly can categorically say that no money is missing to warrant EFCC’s unwarranted witch-hunting of the former Governor.”
Hon. Abu Jibril of Ajaokuta State specifically said the EFCC boss should be prosecuted for allegedly attempting to kill the governor. He called on the president to remove him immediately.
“The chairman has shown incompetence that warrants his removal,” Jibril said.
Also speaking, Bode Ogunmola, representing Ogori/Magongo State Constituency, argued that the governor’s lodge ought to have been respected by the EFCC operatives.
He said, “If I am in London and there is a crisis if I get to the Nigerian House, I will feel safe. If I am in Abuja and there is a crisis, I believe that if I get to the Kogi Lodge, I will be safe. For the EFCC Chairman to order that fire be opened on the official lodge of the governor, he should be sacked and prosecuted. We should be told why he wants to kill our governor.”
The Majority Leader of the House of Assembly, Suleiman AbdulRazak, alleged that officials of the EFCC were begging the former governor to let them pretend as if he was arrested.
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He said this was an embarrassing act, which showed that the anti-graft agency was acting according to a script written by some political enemies of the former governor.
The lawmaker, therefore, said President Bola Tinubu should be notified of the alleged assassination attempt on the present and former governors; adding that the whole drama was a show to embarrass the former governor.
He concluded that, on the fateful night, a coup attempt was committed at the Kogi State Governor’s Lodge and called on the President to immediately remove the EFCC Chairman to save the nation from further embarrassment.
The lawmakers concluded that the EFCC had an agenda different from the fight against corruption, which had been revealed by the way the commission approached the issue of arrest.
This, they said, must be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians.
On his part, Yahaya Umar, representing Omala State Constituency, said, “The unlawful conducts of the EFCC show that the intention of the chairman is not to arrest former Governor Yahaya Bello, but to ridicule the state.
“The chronology of how the event happened shows that the problem of the chairman is not with the offences being alleged, but that they want to disgrace the defendant and Kogi State in general.”
Furthermore, the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Comfort Egwaba on her part stated, “The EFCC is just trying to give the former governor a bad name through their media trial. The EFCC is not sincere in this fight. It has an agenda it is pursuing and the entire people of the state, particularly the women and youths, will not accept this.”
In the same vein, the Kogi State House of Assembly also passed a resolution, commending President Bola Tinubu, for his economic policies which are aimed at building a strong and virile economy that will be the envy of all.
Reading the resolution of the Assembly, the Speaker, Aliyu Yusuf, said, “The House formally categorises the April 17 and September 18 incidents as assassination attempts on the former Governor, and by extension, a threat to the life of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
“The unprovoked attack on the Governor’s Lodge and the firing of live rounds within a diplomatic residential zone further demonstrate that the EFCC has fully marinated in a sense of its own importance and power and now considers itself not only above the law but unanswerable to anyone or institution for its actions.
“Because the EFCC Chairman has shown constantly gross incompetence, the House has resolved that the President should relieve him of his appointment with immediate effect and replace him with a competent officer who will give Mr. President’s crusade for the rule of law the needed effectiveness.”
