By Tunde Nasir
Last week, there was a funny news report that should bother all men and women of goodwill.
The Kogi State House of Assembly was reported to have called out the leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for performing its constitutional duties.
The House of Assembly which had been silent since the scandalous corruption allegations against the former Governor, Mr. Yahaya Bello broke, suddenly found its voice and instead of the lawmakers to intervene on the side of decency, the rule of law and justice, they went off track, dancing naked in the market square.
For people who swore to Oath of Office and Oath of Allegiance to the Constitution and the Federal Republic of Nigeria and to defend the interest of the people of Kogi State, it was an antithesis of some sort to see them calling for the sack of the EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede.
They hinged their ill-informed call on what they termed the invasion of the Kogi State Governor’s Lodge and an unfounded assassination attempt on the immediate past Governor, Yahaya Bello.
This action has added to the theatrics coming from Kogi State since the EFCC invited Yahaya Bello for questioning over an alleged N80 billion fraud.
Hardly had the dust raised by the N80 billion fraud settled when the news broke again that a fresh court summons has been issued over another alleged N110 million fraud against the same Yahaya Bello.
Now, imagine, if true, the number of healthcare centres, streets and roads that would have been fixed with over N190 billion!
One would have thought that since Kogi State has been in the news for the wrong reasons on account of the refusal of Yahaya Bello to honour EFCC’s invitation and several court summons, the lawmakers would have urged him to save the state the bad press and needless embarrassment and turn himself in.
In saner climes, the lawmakers would have waded in on the side of decency, accountability, equity and justice; after all, it is said that he who seeks equity must do equity.
The lawmakers cannot be calling out the EFCC without urging Yahaya Bello and Governor Usman Ododo to obey several court summons; after all, action and reaction are said to be equal and opposite.
If Yahaya Bello does not have anything to hide, he should be more than willing to have his day in court and clear himself and his name; once and for all.
It is incumbent on the lawmakers and his successor, Governor Usman Ododo to encourage him (Bello) to turn himself in without further delay.
It is shameful that Governor Ododo is lending the weight and paraphernalia of his office and position to frustrate the institutions of state from doing their constitutionally guaranteed roles.
The lawmakers should look inwards, retrace their steps and prevail on ex-Govenor Bello to be man enough to turn himself in, obey the court summons and have his day in court. This is the only way the Kogi State House of Assembly can redeem itself from the joke that it has become.
-Tunde Nasiru, a Social Policy Advocate, sent this via email, Tunde.nasir@gmail.com