‘You Breached The Law By Rescuing Yahaya Bello From EFCC Arrest’ – Oshiomhole Slams Ododo
The Senator representing Edo North in the National Assembly, Adams Oshiomhole, has accused Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State of breaching the law by shielding his predecessor, Yahaya Bello, from being arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
It would be recalled that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) laid siege around the former governor’s residence on Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
The EFCC is accusing Bello of financial misappropriation and corruption to the tune of N80.2 billion and accused the former governor of ignoring its invitation and evading arrest.
Hours later the seige was laid, Ododo arrived at Bello’s residence and reportedly aided his predecessor’s escape from arrest by EFCC operatives.
Amid the drama, the Kogi high court delivered judgment in a fundamental rights enforcement suit, restraining the commission from “harassing, threatening to arrest or detaining” the former governor.
On the same day, the EFCC obtained a warrant of arrest against Bello from a federal high court in Abuja.
Subsequently, the anti-graft agency declared the former governor wanted, while the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) placed Bello on a watchlist.
Bello was also absent for an arraignment that was initially scheduled for April 18, citing fear of arrest.
Speaking on Saturday at the national integration conference, Oshiomhole stated that Ododo’s rescue of Bello from the EFCC siege is a gross violation of the law.
The former Governor of Edo State added that the former governor’s refusal to show up in court constitutes a breach of the law.
Oshiomhole, however, urged citizens to speak up against breaches of the law irrespective of the personality that is involved.
He said: “If you are afraid, given the fact that you are very vocal, you are independent, you cannot be dismissed, you cannot be promoted or demoted… if you are afraid to mention the name of a former governor who breached the law and a sitting governor who used his immunity to cover a governor that lost immunity, where will the courage come from?
“This sophistry of saying we can name the child of a poor man who stole (s) a goat but we are afraid to mention the name of a big man who breached the law, that for me is at the root of our problems.”
Oshiomhole said during his spell as Edo governor, his colleagues denied children of the poor people access to education, while their kids were studying abroad.
He added: “As a former governor, I was a member of the National Economic Council (NEC) where some state governors argued that they did not have the resources to pay 50 per cent subsidy in order to ensure that the children of the poor go to school even when those governors are sending their own children abroad.”
The former Edo governor said leaders must possess the political will to implement laws they enact.
“What I consider to be the most important investment, namely, that never should a child be born in this country and be denied access to go to school,” he said.
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