A non-governmental organisation, Vanguard for Credible Representation (VCR), has reiterated its call on President Bola Tinubu and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) to prevail on Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo to stop obstructing the fight against corruption.
In a statement issued in Abuja by VCR’s Head of Mission, Onche Ugbabe, the group frowned at the activities of one of the pro-Yahaya Bello’s groups known as Africa Media Roundtable, which said Governor Ododo “should be celebrated.”
The statement reads in part, “We restate our position and demand that the Presidency, Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the Progressive Governors’ Forum should wade in and save Nigeria from further embarrassment by calling Governor Ododo to order.
“The so-called Roundtable even insulted our collective intelligence by touting that Governor Ododo should be celebrated! Celebrated for his obstructive roles? Celebrated for housing a man already declared wanted by the EFCC based on summons issued by the court of law? That Ododo be celebrated for shielding a man away from the arms of the law? For leading a show of bravado to the EFCC car park on September 18, 2024 in a flagrant display of what an executive governor should not be?” the group asked rhetorically.
The non-governmental organisation restated its earlier position that the protection so far given to former Governor Yahaya Bello by Governor Ododo “undermines the renewed fight against corruption by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, making the President and the country a laughing stock.”
“That is why we are calling on the President, the Nigeria’s Governors’ Forum and the Progressives Governors Forum to intervene and call Governor Ododo to order,” it added.
With the issuance of another court summons last week by another court, VCR urged Governor Ododo to accompany his predecessor to honour the court summons since the Media Roundtable said Ododo was “helping EFCC” by accompanying former Governor Bello to the EFCC car park.