Kogi State governor, Usman Ododo, has been told to hand over his predecessor, Yahaya Bello, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Yahaya Bello is wanted by the EFCC, over an alleged mismanagement of N80.2billion while in office. The former governor who had approached a Kogi State High Court to restrain the anti-graft agency from arresting him, is due to appear before a Federal High Court in Abuja on June 27.
In a statement on Friday, a leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi, Usman Okai Austin, accused Ododo of obstructing the prosecution of Bello.
Okai criticized Ododo for reportedly being seen with Bello during the Sallah celebration, questioning the governor’s commitment to fighting corruption, alleging that he is shielding the former governor from investigation.
Commenting on the newly enacted Kogi State anti-corruption bill, Okai accused Ododo of hypocrisy and dismissed the legislation as a mockery of the anti-corruption efforts.
The PDP chieftain urged Ododo to demonstrate his commitment to combating corruption by facilitating Bello’s handover to the EFCC for thorough investigation.
“Despite his declaration to ‘attack corrupt practices and make it impossible for corruption to thrive,’ his actions suggest otherwise,” he said.
“To genuinely demonstrate his dedication to fighting corruption, Governor Ododo must take concrete steps, such as handing Yahaya Bello over to the EFCC for investigation.
“Until then, his actions will be seen as hypocritical and obstructing the anti-corruption war.
“We urge Governor Ododo to practice what he preaches and take meaningful action against corruption by handing over the wanted Bello to the EFCC.”
