Reasons have emerged as to why
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is after the
immediate past governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
EFCC had Tuesday fingered Bello in an ongoing corruption case,
following a fresh amendment which introduced a fresh count to the case
that has been going on in court since 2022.
The anti graft agency accused Bello of conspiring with his nephew, Ali
Bello, and his associate, Dauda Suleiman to convert the total sum of
N80.2 billion belonging to Kogi State Government to personal use.
While the Kogi State Government, described the development as
laughable credible sources linked the matter to some powerful
Nigerians who may not be positively disposed to the rising political
influence of the former Governor who has been a towering figure in the
rank of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nigeria.
The sources who do not want their names in print alleged that Bello’s
travails are not unconnected with his decision to challenge President
Bola Tinubu in the APC presidential primaries of 2022.
According to them, “in the build up to the 2023 general election,
former Governor Yahaya Bello had thrown his hat in the ring by
aspiring to be the presidential flagbearer of the APC in the primary
election that eventually produced Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who went
on to win the presidential election and he is today the President and
Commander-In-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Although, the former Kogi State Governor has since aligned with Mr.
President and earned his support during the Governorship election in
Kogi State which was won by the APC’s Ahmed Usman Ododo now the
Executive Governor of Kogi State, there are feelings that those who
were uncomfortable with the stance of the former Governor against the
zoning arrangement in the APC and the fact that he might still habour
a presidential ambition come 2027 have not taken their eyes off the
former Governor of Kogi State.”
The also adduced the reason for the ongoing EFCC move against Bello as
his perceived ambition to become the National Chairman of the ruling
APC.
LEADERSHIP recently reports that the posters with inscriptions
suggesting that the former Kogi helmsman was in the race to take over
the APC chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje surfaced in Abuja, which Bello
distanced himself from them.
The sources told our correspondent on the condition of anonymity that;
“Before the expiration of his second term in office, there were calls
from a section of the party and its supporters that the former
Governor of Kogi State should seek the office of the National Chairman
of the APC.
“While he is yet to officially declare his intention to vie for the
position, those who are or could be discomforted by the political
aspiration of the former Governor are alleged to be ganging up to
frustrate the ambition of the former Governor should he declare to run
for the national chairmanship position of the party.
“Supporters of the former Kogi State Governor believe that the recent
amplification of the trial of some of the former Governor’s associates
may not be unconnected with his alleged interest in the National
Chairmanship position of the APC.”
While also pointing at the convoluted party politics in Kogi as
possible reason while the anti graft agency is going after Bello,
sources said, “the last governorship election in Kogi State came with
huge collateral damage and cracks that reinforced deep animosity
within the rank of the APC and tribal fault lines in the state.
“It is unsurprising that the former Governor has earned fewer friends
in the aftermath of the election which saw elements in the APC
actively supporting the opposition candidate in the state.
“Many of those behind the plot to deny the APC victory in the election
are still uncomforted by the fact the former Governor is emerging as a
power broker within the party hence the need for them to ‘cut him to
size’ and reduce his influence in the party.”
The sources further alluded to Bello’s bold stance on the last year’s
Naira redesign policy and 2020 COVID-19 national lockdown as part of
his current ordeal in the hands of the EFCC as he longer enjoys
immunity at the expiration of his tenure as governor.
“We all recall the exceptionally bold and nationalistic intervention
of the former Governor of Kogi State to avert the national disaster
that the naira redesign would have caused Nigeria in the wake of the
shortage of bank notes in the country in 2022 to early 2023.
“Rather than accord the former Governor Yahaya Bello and his two other
colleagues, former Governors Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State and Bello
Mutawalle of Zamfara State medals of patriot, the former Kogi State
Governor in particular is being treated as a villain by powerful
elements with vested political interest whose efforts to derail the
democratic transfer of power to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu failed to
materialise.
“This same gang have refused to take off their knees of the necks of
Nigerians and they are hell bent on humiliating and undermining the
influence of the former Governor especialy as they anticipate that he
may earn a position of national relevance in the government of Mr.
President sooner than later.
“During the national lock down as a consequence of the Covid-19
pandemic in Nigeria in the year 2020, Kogi State was the only state
that refused to shutdown businesses and commercial activities thus
prompting national concerns from many who saw the stance of the former
Governor as unbecoming.
“Events have since proven that the former Governor was not wrong in
his opposition to a national lockdown as that period of economic
downturn is partly responsible for the economic recesion that has
failed to fully abate till today.
“Proponents of the national lockdown who benefited largely from the
proceeds of that arrangement are still at cross with the former
Governor of Kogi State and they remain unhappy with his emergence as a
patriot of that struggle to mitigate the consequence of a total
national lockdown,” the sources added.
