The Kogi State Government has lambasted the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, for what it called baseless fixation on the state’s affairs with spurious allegations in a bid to satisfy certain political interests.
The state government said it was sad that an agency charged with the responsibility of fighting graft in the country had turned itself into a pawn in the hands of political opponents of the Kogi State Government with untamed desperation to damage the integrity of the Governor and the Government of Kogi State.
It said the alleged shadow chasing by the EFCC and their known and unknown sponsors would not distract the current administration in the state from serving the people.
The government, in a statement, titled, “EFCC has become an embarrassment to Nigeria”, signed by the Commissioner for Information and Communications in the state, Kingsley Fanwo, also called on the Inspector-General of Police to immediately effect the arrest of Bawa and commit him to prison as ruled by a competent court.
“Allowing convicts to roam about the society portends a great danger to our judicial system. Rasheed Bawa cannot be allowed to continue to disobey Court Orders at will while also evading justice. Let justice be done,” the statement said.
Fanwo alleged that the EFCC was known for media trial and that no amount of such would distract Governor Yahaya Bello from recording more successes in the state.
“The latest shenanigans of the EFCC is to accuse some members of the Governor’s family of corruption, arrest them without any prior invitation or warrant and against extant Court Orders restraining them from so doing and charge them to court. This has further exposed the uncivilised, unconstitutional and unethical practices of the anti-graft agency. Their latest approach has further confirmed to Nigerians that they have an institutional agenda against the Governor and Government of Kogi State,” he said.
According to him, Nigerians are wiser now and they know when an operation is politically motivated.
“We reiterate that funds belonging to the Kogi State Government are not missing and we retain our enviable status in the areas of transparency, accountability and probity. The shadow chasing by the EFCC and their known and unknown sponsors will not distract our administration from serving our people. The seeming attack on Governors that are committed to the victory of the APC Presidential Candidate by the anti-graft agency is well understood by discerning Nigerians. No force can stop the voice of the people,” the state government said
Fanwo added that the government was committed to fighting on the side of the citizenry as reflected in the recent suit it filed along with others against currency redesign. He urged people to remain calm and not take the law into their hands.
[13/02, 9:01 am] Richard: Leke Abejide debunks APC’s claim of constructing Oke-Oyi Road
The Lawmaker representing Yagba Federal Constituency, Hon. Leke Abejide has asked some ‘few disgruntled people’ claiming to be APC CAMPAIGN COUNCIL in Yagbaland to bury their head in shame for claiming his project belong to the APC.
Leke also said the zone had suffered the worst from APC as there was no visible projects attracted to the zone by any appointees of state government.
The federal Lawmaker was speaking at the backdrop of the statement by the APC Campaign Council where they ‘thank President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Bello for the construction of Oke -Oyi roads.
The APC CC in Yagba Federal constituency had on Friday expressed immense gratitude to President Mohammadu Buhari for approving funds for the reconstruction of the Ijowa-Ejuku-Jege-Ife Olukotun road in Yagba East LGA of Kogi State.
The APC campaign council in a statement observed that the ongoing reconstruction was a product of a particular road transfer agreement signed by both the Kogi State Government and the Federal Government. They equally noted that Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello listed the said road as part of roads transferred to the Federal Government for onward construction and hence deserves accolades.
But Leke in a swift reactions narrated how he canvassed for the said project, flag -off the construction of the road that is now nearing completion.
“On 2nd November, 2020, I, Hon Leke Abejide visited His Excellency, Gov Yahaya Bello at his residence in Abuja to inform him of my plan on the Road from Omuoke-Igbagun-Ife-Olukotun-Ijowa Road to get the Road rehabilitated and reconstructed in certain portion. And he appreciated my efforts and told Hon Idris Asiru in my presence (because he was in that meeting) to let him know where I’m starting because they too (Kogi State Government) want to put it in their budget so that we will not start in same location.
“And when we started from OMUOKE side I forwarded the pictures and videos to Gov Yahaya Bello to inform him the progress of works and what I was able to capture in 2020 Budget. I went and secured more money in 2021 and 2022 and the results is what you are seeing on that Road and not only that but across Yagba Federal Constituency.
“Hon Sunday Karimi is on the campaign train of APC, he knows how it works in National Assembly that nobody will give you projects of this magnitude just like that to take home. If it so easy, others, including Senators in Kogi State will even have more projects than me.
“Instead of them to thank God for having a man like me whom GOD has given capacity, competence, character, knowledge, political clout and connections representing and bringing Yagba Federal Constituency to limelight and envy of all in Nigeria; they are spreading falsehood around!
“When I flagged- off the construction of the roads our people were there, so if anyone wants to lie, pictures and videos cannot lie. They should show me where the President or the Governor did the flag off of the Road! President Buhari does not even know the Road exist. And as we speak the State Government is yet to support me on the Road project.
“But I want to tell you through this medium I have gotten the money that will complete the work to Ijowa and by God’s grace it will be done.”
Abejide said the APC in the zone knows that they have squandered their good wills amongst Yagba people.
“Rather than bury their head in shame and apologize to Yagba people for squandering the goodwill away in our zone, we are shocked that the APC will be going about speaking about a projects that is not theirs. This is a demonstration of falsehood from idle people.”
