Abuja, Nigeria – Prominent social critic and human rights activist, Comrade Igbotako Nowinta, has called for the resignation of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, accusing him of failing to fulfill his promise to arrest and prosecute former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
In a press release titled “The Cloud Of Deception: Yahaya Bello Is Not Above The Law,” issued in Abuja on Monday, July 8, 2024, Nowinta, who is also an international conflict resolution expert and Executive Director of the Nigerian Good Governance Research Centre, expressed his discontent with the EFCC’s inaction.
The anti-graft agency had previously named Yahaya Bello in an amended N80 billion money laundering charge involving Governor Ododo’s Chief of Staff, Ali Bello. Olukoyede had publicly vowed to resign if he failed to bring the former governor to justice, a promise that Nowinta says remains unfulfilled.
“Nigerians have been waiting and watching for months,” Nowinta stated. “Several attempts to arrest and prosecute Yahaya Bello have failed, raising questions about whether he is above the law.”
In the press release, Nowinta condemned Bello’s eight-year administration, describing it as catastrophic for the people of Kogi State. “He was a pinnacle of disgrace and a monument of shame to democratic governance in Nigeria,” he said.
Nowinta criticized Olukoyede’s inability to apprehend Bello, despite reports suggesting the former governor may have fled to North Africa. “If ‘yahoo boys’ involved in financial crimes can be easily located and prosecuted, why is Yahaya Bello still at large?” he questioned.
The activist accused Olukoyede of shielding Bello and called for his resignation. “We see a cloud of deception in this matter,” Nowinta asserted. “If Olukoyede cannot fulfill his promise to resign if he failed to arrest Yahaya Bello, we demand that he steps down as a man of his word.”
He also highlighted the broader issue of corruption and misgovernance in Nigeria, urging for constitutional means to stop what he termed as “pathological shrinkers of our commonwealth.”
“Our patience is wearing thin,” Nowinta warned. “We must fiercely resist this misrule and convoke massive resistance. We challenge Ola Olukoyede to resign now or bring Yahaya Bello to a speedy trial.”
