Yahaya Bello: EFCC Chairman’s Conduct Suggest Vendetta, Not Fight Against Corruption – Concerned APC Chieftains

Published

3 years ago

April 27, 2024

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Yahaya Bello: EFCC Chairman’s Conduct Suggest Vendetta, Not Fight Against Corruption – Concerned APC Chieftains—-Chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress have said that an unbiased assessment of the alleged media trial of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission goings showcases grounds for strong suspicion of vendetta.

The Stakeholders, who spoke at a press conference in Abuja on Friday said, while the public was being misled into the erroneous impression that the EFCC was trying to fight corruption, “it is actually just a pretense in furtherance of a personal vendetta on behalf of, and, at the behest of persons in government intent on the bastardisation of our institutions of state.”

Lawyer and Head of the Tinubu Media Support Group, Barrister Jesutega Onokpasa, while addressing the press, on behalf of on behalf of Concerned Chieftains, Stalwarts of the APC, stated, “We, concerned Chieftains, Stalwarts and Stakeholders of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, find certain pertinent issues emanating from the matter between the former Governor of Kogi State, Governor Yahaya Bello, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to be quite unfortunate, most disturbing and totally unacceptable in a nation governed by laws.

“Indeed, an unbiased assessment of the goings on in this matter profusely showcase grounds for strong suspicion that while the public is being misled into the erroneous impression that the EFCC is trying to fight corruption, it is actually just a pretense in furtherance of a personal vendetta on behalf of, and, at the behest of persons in government intent on the bastardisation of our institutions of state.

“The EFCC Chairman, in a most bizarre and utterly absurd approach to law enforcement, confessed to having offered former Governor Yahaya Bello the option of passing through the backdoor of the commission’s headquarters for preferential treatment in the Chairman’s own office!

“By the way, this highly irregular and unorthodox offer was made not vide a proper invitation in the contemplation of law but through the most irregular route of a mere phone call, according to the EFCC Chairman.

“In the midst of this show of shame, the EFCC Chairman then proceeded to appoint himself a judge, jury and executioner by transferring a case the agency he heads had purportedly filed in court to the court of public opinion, clearly in the hope of whipping up public sentiments against former Governor Yahaya Bello and unleashing mob justice on him.

“We find it most unprofessional and quite shameful that a lawyer would so brazenly seek to pervert the course of justice by preferring to litigate a matter before the legal court of law in the illegal court of public opinion.

A citizen in the position of former Governor Yahaya Bello, especially not being a lawyer, would naturally be suspicious of the gamut of shenanigans that have been machinated against him thus far and be quite apprehensive that his traducers have something else in mind that is totally different from their quite laughable public position that they are fighting corruption.

“It has been said that ‘if you fight corruption, corruption will fight back’ but this is clearly a case of corruption pretending to be fighting corruption.

“In short, it is clear that those intent on harming former Governor Yahaya Bello are so full of themselves as to appropriate our institutions of state for self-aggrandizement and the prosecution of their personal agenda rather than upholding the rule of law.

“Far from being a cherished agency we can rely on to rid our nation of corruption, the EFCC has only succeeded in thoroughly embarrassing our nation before the international community.

“This entire affair has become a mainstream media as well as a social media sensation and it is all thanks to the EFCC bungling its absurd pretense of having a case against former Governor Yahaya Bello.

“Seldom have we witnessed a more bewildering absurdity as the conduct of the EFCC in this matter.

We must protect our institutions from abuse and our government from ridicule.

“We most certainly do not condone corruption and both individually and collectively oppose it in all its ramifications.

“But weaponising an agency of government into an instrument of intimidation and deviating from its mandate, even to the extent of giving the highly disturbing impression that it has decomposed into a willing tool in the hands of people in power for the purpose of hounding their political enemies is a most heinous form of corruption.

“Former Governor Yahaya Bello is most certainly not above the law but so also is the EFCC, any other agency of government and, even the government, itself, not above the law.

“The EFCC is certainly not fighting corruption in this instance.

You do not properly invite a man; you said you called him on the phone offering to smuggle him through the backdoor; you do not inform another court of coordinate jurisdiction that you have been restrained from arresting, arraigning or prosecuting him; you brazenly engage in forum shopping; you proceed in gestapo fashion to carry out an illegal arrest; you secretly file an appeal out of time; you then withdraw that appeal quietly only for news of that withdrawal to filter out days later; clearly realising you do not have a case, you proceed to tarnish the reputation of a citizen you claim to have a case to answer by calling a press conference most unbecoming of a lawyer, public official and government agency!

“You try to tarnish the reputation of a sitting Governor by accusing him of smuggling his predecessor from a private residence only for you to admit that you were actually the one who offered to smuggle him through the backdoor into your office at the headquarters of a government agency!

What a show of shame!

We fight corruption according to law and we subject any person of interest pertaining thereto to the due process of law in a court of law.

“Instructively, the party that has placed himself under the law and authority of the courts in this matter is former Governor Yahaya Bello, who has painstakingly and consistently followed the law.

“On the other hand, the EFCC, in its usual manner, has insisted on deploying patently unlawful and unbecoming approaches to this matter, indeed in a manner most contrary to the rule of law and one that is most unacceptably disrespectful to the Judiciary.

“The rule of law must always prevail because without the law, we would not have a society and without courts, we would not have a civilisation.

Barr. Jesutega Onokpasa,

For and Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress, APC

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Abia 2031: Competence Will Dictate My Successor, Says Governor Otti

Published

2 months ago

September 18, 2026

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Abia 2031: Competence Will Dictate My Successor, Says Governor Otti—-Gov. Alex Otti of Abia says he will neither be a godfather nor impose his successor on the state after serving his second tenure in 2031.

Otti spoke on Thursday in Umuahia, while receiving a former Social Democratic Party Gubernatorial Candidate, Mrs Ngozi Johnson-Chukwunenye, and her supporters into the Labour Party (LP).

He said that leadership succession should be based on identifying the most suitable person for the job, rather than perpetuating a “sit-tight” culture.

He said that the person who would succeed him would be better equipped to provide quality leadership to the people.

Otti said: “The most important thing you can give a people is good governance.

“And once people test good governance, it will be very difficult for them to allow you to take them back.

“So, if you are afraid that we will go back to Egypt, it will never happen and what I can assure you is that, by the time I’m done, the person who will succeed me will be better than me.

“I don’t want to be a godfather and I don’t tolerate godfathers.

“We will all sit down, look at everybody and say, who is the best person for this job and then all of us will agree and we will campaign for him.

“He will win and we will take a back seat.”

The governor also reiterated his earlier stance not to seek another elective position after completing his second tenure.

He said his administration’s focus was to provide good governance and create an environment, where younger people could emerge as capable leaders.

“We should stop this sit-tight. It’s only you. It can’t be only you.

“There are smarter, more trained, better-trained, better-equipped younger people; our children. We need to give them opportunity,” he said.

Otti said that his administration was already preparing younger people to take over leadership responsibilities through various initiatives, including the Abia Leadership Academy.

He said that over 1,080 young people, between the ages of 16 and 25, had recently graduated from the academy.

“You will see how smart our children are. So, these are the people that will take over from us.

“And they are being trained now for tomorrow; so we can never go back,” he said.

The governor also said the administration’s effort to improve governance and infrastructure would continue, in spite of criticism.

He argued that development could not be achieved in one day.

He said his administration had prioritised the restoration of Aba and Umuahia before extending its interventions to other parts of the state.

“We are now moving into the hinterlands, and we will continue until we reach everywhere; so nothing will stop us,” he said.

He thanked Johnson-Chukwunenye for joining the party and for remembering less privileged children, including pupils from the School for the Blind.

Otti said such gestures demonstrated concern for vulnerable members of society.

In a speech, the National Vice-Chairman of the party (Southeast), Mr Ishmael Onuoha, said the party’s motto aligned with the ideals expressed in the third stanza of the national anthem.

Onuoha described the party as one committed to the masses and hope for Nigerians.

In a remark, the LP Chairman in Abia, Mr Peter Azubuike, said the growing support for the party was a by-product of Otti’s good governance and performance.

Azubuike said the party was ready for the 2027 elections, urging members to prepare for polling-unit-based campaigns and ensure effective mobilisation at the grassroots.

In a speech, Johnson-Chukwunenye said that she had closely followed the Otti administration and was convinced by its efforts to clean, light up and restore dignity to Abia.

She said she decided to support Otti’s second-term bid because she believed his administration’s policies aligned with her vision of a government that remembers the poor and promotes equity.

She called for legislation on “continuity and completion” to ensure that successive administrations continued projects inherited from previous governments.

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BREAKING: After Historic Osun Victory, Adeleke Backs Tinubu for 2027 Re-Election

Published

3 months ago

August 16, 2026

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BREAKING: After Historic Osun Victory, Adeleke Backs Tinubu for 2027 Re-Election—-Fresh from securing a second term as Osun governor under the Accord Party, Ademola Adeleke has reaffirmed his support for President Bola Tinubu’s bid for another term in 2027.

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has reaffirmed his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for re-election in 2027, shortly after securing another four-year term as governor of the state.

Adeleke made the declaration in his victory speech following his successful re-election in the August 15 governorship election, where he contested under the Accord Party after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The governor’s renewed endorsement of Tinubu adds another significant dimension to his remarkable political journey. Adeleke won his first term as governor in 2022 on the PDP platform but subsequently moved to Accord ahead of the 2026 election, successfully defending his seat as an incumbent under his new party.

Adeleke Praises Tinubu After Election Victory

In his post-election remarks, Adeleke expressed appreciation to President Tinubu, who had called to congratulate him on his victory.

https://thecloudngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Imran_Muhammad_-_President_Tinubu_is_son_of_Osun_state_and_I_hereby_reaffirm_my_earlie_67ts5d.mp4?_=1

The Osun governor praised the President for what he described as his role in ensuring that democracy continued to thrive, while acknowledging Tinubu’s congratulatory gesture following the election.

Adeleke’s comments represent a notable development given the political rivalry and tensions that characterized the build-up to the Osun election.

Before the poll, the governor had repeatedly called on the Federal Government and security agencies to ensure a free, fair and peaceful election. His campaign also exchanged accusations with the APC over the conduct of the electoral process and the role of federal authorities.

Renewed Support for Tinubu’s 2027 Ambition

Adeleke’s endorsement of Tinubu for 2027 is not entirely new.

The governor had previously declared his support for Tinubu’s re-election campaign before the Osun governorship election. In June, while formally launching his Accord Party re-election campaign, Adeleke described his support for the President as “unshaken and total.”

He again reaffirmed that position after winning the Osun election, emphasizing his continued backing for the President’s second-term ambition. Vanguard and Punch both reported the governor’s renewed endorsement following his victory.

Adeleke also described Tinubu as a son of Osun, further highlighting the personal and political connection he says exists between the President and the state.

Adeleke’s Historic Political Switch

The endorsement comes just days after Adeleke achieved a major political feat by retaining the Osun governorship despite switching parties.

The governor was elected in 2022 as a PDP candidate but later abandoned the party following a prolonged internal crisis. He subsequently joined Accord and secured the party’s ticket to contest the 2026 election.

His decision created considerable political uncertainty because he was defending his position as an incumbent governor without the PDP structure that had originally brought him to power.

Adeleke ultimately overcame the challenge, winning another term under Accord and strengthening his position as one of the country’s most prominent politicians outside the traditional major-party platforms.

Tinubu Congratulates Adeleke

President Tinubu has also congratulated Adeleke on his re-election, describing the result as a reflection of the will of the people.

The President said the outcome demonstrated that democracy continues to flourish in Nigeria and urged the governor to use his renewed mandate to serve the people of Osun State.

The development creates an interesting political dynamic ahead of 2027, with Adeleke now firmly positioned as an Accord governor who is publicly supporting the incumbent President’s re-election bid.

For Adeleke, the immediate priority will be delivering on the mandate he has just received from Osun voters. But his decision to publicly back Tinubu also signals that his political calculations extend beyond the state and into the increasingly important national contest ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

After securing a historic second term under Accord, Adeleke has now turned his attention toward the next political battle — throwing his weight behind Tinubu’s bid to remain President beyond 2027.

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