Lawmakers in the Kogi House of Assembly on Monday dismissed allegations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC that former Gov. Yahaya Bello stole money from the state’s coffers when he was in office.
The lawmakers said this was because no money belonging the state got missing when Bello was in office.
“There is no money missing in Kogi coffers to warrant such accusation and prosecution,” the lawmakers said during plenary on Monday.
The legislators called for due diligence in the prosecution of the former governor.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC had filed a 19-count money laundering charge against Yahaya Bello before Justice Emeka Nwite of Federal High Court, Abuja.
But, two members of the House, Akus Lawal who represents Ankpa 1, and Jacob Olawunmi representing Mopamuro, in a motion of public importance, declared that the turn of events concerning Bello’s trial had become “worrisome”.
Lawal opined that the EFCC was out to “humiliate Governor Usman Ododo and former governor Yahaya Bello”.
Olawumi, who seconded the motion, stressed that the Audited Financial Reports of the State had always been published by the State Government.
“The Kogi House of Assembly can categorically say that no money is missing,” he said.
Other lawmakers, who spoke on the issue, opined that the EFCC had “a different agenda”.
“That the agency has a different agenda has been revealed by the manner it handled the issue of Bello’s arrest,” the lawmakers argued.
Mr Yahaya Umar, representing Omala State Constituency, in his contribution, said that the anti- corruption agency was out to ridicule the state.
“The chronology of the events around Bello’s arrest shows that he is being targeted,” he said.
The Deputy Speaker of the House, Comfort Nwuchiola Egwaba, in her contribution, alleged that Bello was being given a bad name via a “media trial”.
According to her, “EFCC has an agenda it is pursuing”.
The Kogi House of Assembly also passed a resolution commending President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies aimed at building a strong and virile economy that would be the envy of all.
The Speaker of the House, Aliyu Yusuf, who read out the resolution, also commended Ododo’s efforts to make Kogi the envy of all.
The House frowned at the attempt to arrest Bello’s on April 17 and Sept. 18.
It decried the reported attack on the Governor’s Lodge in Abuia, urging the nation’s anti-corruption agency to always observe the rule of law.
The lawmakers urged the EFCC Chairman to give Mr President’s crusade for rule of law “the needed effectiveness”.
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