Kogi House of Assembly has urged President Bola Tinubu to remove of Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for “persecuting” former governor of the state, Yahaya Bello.
Yahaya Umar, lawmaker representing Omala State Constituency in the house, accused the EFCC boss of trying to “ridicule” Bello, who is alleged to have mismanaged N80.2 billion during his tenure.
Last week, the media office of the former governor alleged that operatives of the EFCC laid siege to the Kogi Government Lodge in Abuja, in a bid to forcefully arrest Bello.
Ohiare Michael, Director of the Yahaya Bello Media Office, said the operatives shot sporadically during the siege.
His claim came hours after the media office said Bello honoured the anti-graft agency’s invitation but was turned back by the EFCC operatives.
On April 18, the commission declared Bello wanted after several attempts to arrest him proved unsuccessful.
At the plenary on Monday, the Kogi legislators criticised the action of the EFCC operatives and described it as an “unprovoked attack” on Usman Ododo, governor of the state.
The lawmakers accused the EFCC of attempting to assassinate Ododo and the former governor, adding that the persecution of Bello had gone on for too long.
This followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Akus Lawal, a lawmaker representing Ankpa 1 state constituency.
Akus alleged that the EFCC was out to humiliate and possibly kill Ododo and Bello.
Seconding the motion, Jacob Olawunmi, representing the Mopamuro state constituency, said the state assembly can “categorically say that no money is missing to warrant the EFCC’s unwarranted witch-hunting of the former governor”.
Abu Jibril, the lawmaker representing the Ajaokuta constituency, said President Bola Tinubu should immediately remove and prosecute Olukoyede.
“The chairman has shown incompetence that warrants his removal,” Jibril said.
