The Kogi State House of Assembly has called for the immediate removal of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, over his alleged unprofessional handling of the ongoing case involving former Governor Yahaya Bello.
During a heated plenary session on Monday in Lokoja, the lawmakers expressed outrage over what they described as an attack on the Kogi State Government Lodge, calling it a direct assault on both the current Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, and the people of Kogi State.
The Assembly’s motion of urgent public importance, moved by Hon. Akus Lawal, representing Ankpa 1 State Constituency, and seconded by Hon. Jacob Olawunmi of Ijumu State Constituency, led to a widespread condemnation of the EFCC’s actions. Lawmakers accused the EFCC of launching an assassination attempt on both the former and current governors, highlighting a pattern of persecution that they claimed had gone on for too long.
“The EFCC is out to humiliate and possibly kill both the present and former governors,” Hon. Akus Lawal asserted, with his colleagues expressing unanimous support for his statement.
In particular, Hon. Abu Jibril of Ajaokuta State Constituency took the accusations a step further, calling for the prosecution of the EFCC Chairman for allegedly plotting to kill Governor Ododo. “The Chairman has shown incompetence that warrants his removal,” Jibril remarked, underscoring the belief that Olukoyede is unfit to lead an impartial agency like the EFCC.
Echoing the sentiments of his colleagues, Hon. Bode Ogunmola of Ogori/Magongo State Constituency (PDP) lambasted the EFCC’s actions, stating: “For the EFCC Chairman to order that fire be opened on the official lodge of the Governor, he should be sacked and prosecuted.”
The Majority Leader of the Assembly, Hon. Suleiman AbdulRazak, described a disturbing encounter where EFCC officials allegedly begged former Governor Yahaya Bello to pretend to be arrested. “It was an embarrassing act,” he said, accusing the anti-graft agency of following a script written by the former Governor’s political enemies.
In a similar vein, Hon. Yahaya Umar of Omala State Constituency emphasized the broader impact on Kogi State, stating: “The intention of the chairman is not to arrest former Governor Yahaya Bello, but to ridicule the state.”
Accusations of Media Trial and Political Motives
The Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Comfort Nwuchiola Egwaba, also condemned the EFCC’s alleged bias. “The EFCC is just trying to give the former Governor a bad name through their media trial. The EFCC is not sincere in this fight. It has an agenda it is pursuing, and the entire people of the state, particularly the women and youths, will not accept this,” she declared.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aliyu Yusuf, formally categorized the events of April 17 and September 18 as assassination attempts on both former Governor Yahaya Bello and current Governor Ododo. “The unprovoked attack on the Governor’s Lodge and the firing of live rounds within a diplomatic residential zone further demonstrate that the EFCC has fully marinated in a sense of its own importance and power,” Yusuf stated.
The lawmakers concluded their session by demanding that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remove the EFCC Chairman and replace him with a competent officer. They further passed a resolution commending the President’s economic policies, emphasizing their support for his efforts to build a strong and vibrant economy.
