EFCC Vs Bello: Ebira Youths Group Cautions FG, Senator Natasha
Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja
Piqued by the trend of events going on between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, a group, Congress of Ebira Youths for Justice and Fairplay (CEYJF) has cautioned the federal government and the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akppti Uduaghan, to exercise restraint on what they described as political persecution by the EFCC.
Addressing a press conference at Ogaminana in Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State yesterday, the convener of the group, Kabiru Usman, stated that the gathering was to send out words of caution to Senator Natasha Uduaghan and the federal government on the Yahaya Bello and EFCC debacle.
“This group of young men and women from the 5 local government areas of the central senatorial district are here gathered to address a matter that has a dire consequence for peacew and togetherness of Kogi State and Nigeria at large if not properly handle.
“That issue is no other than the current ongoing political persecution of the former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, in which the EFCC has made itself a willing tool.
“Before we delve into the substance of the matter, I want to sound a word of caution to our sister and our representative at the National Assembly, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
“It’s important for the Senator to choose her fight carefully no matter the energy at her disposal. We want to remind her of an Ebira adage which says that no one uses his/her oil to cook toad no matter the abundance of oil at her disposal.
“She should note that the political difference between her and Bello is a domestic and internal affair of our land.
“It’s therefore disturbing to see that she is using her past political differences with the former governor to align with enemies of Ebiraland who are using EFCC as a canon folder to achieve their clandestine motives.
“Natasha should know that no ethnic groups in Kogi State can love her more than her own. Our senator needs to draw example from her governorship contest in 2019. Those who are urging her to keep attacking Bello and by extension Ebira interest now went the directions of their own candidates and left her in the cold. Let her know therefore that her support for the traducers of Ebiraland in this Bello’s persecution has dire political consequences for her now and in the future,” the group said.
“On the EFCC, various legal authorities have spoken on the illegalities of the commission that suggest that the matter against Bello is more of politics than the criminal prosecution. It’s clear from all that EFCC is being used as a smokescreen by Bello’s political enemies. No evidence of a formal invitation extended to him by the commission rather the commission chairman told the world during his infamous press conference that he called the former governor and asked him to come to the headquarters of the commission through the back door. And he expected Yahaya Bello to submit his neck to him just like that? “ Usman asked.
