EFCC Chairman Vows To Resign If Yahaya Bello Is Not Prosecuted
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, says he will resign should the embattled former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello not be prosecuted by his team.
In an interactive session with selected editors on Tuesday at the EFCC headquarters Abuja, the anti-graft agency chairman vowed that all those who obstructed the arrest of the former governor would be brought to justice.
April 18, the EFCC declared Bello wanted over an alleged N80 billion financial crime. Bello is yet to appear in court for scheduled arraignments since he was declared wanted.
The anti-graft czar said he made a direct phone call to Bello out of respect, urging him to appear before the commission and address the charges against him. The EFCC boss said unfortunately, the former governor declined the invitation.
Bello had denied that he was invited, daring the anti-graft agency to produce a copy of the invitation letter.
In a statement through his media office on Tuesday, Bello accused the commission of spreading lies.
The EFCC chairman said he does not personally oversee the completion of the investigation regarding Yahaya Bello, he will tender his resignation as the chairman of the EFCC.
Olukoyede also said the former governor transferred $720,000 from the government’s coffers to a bureau de change before leaving office to pay in advance for his child’s school fee.
In the meantime, former Governor Bello, on Tuesday, prayed a Federal High Court Abuja to vacate the arrest warrant order issued to the EFCC against him on April 17.
Bello, through his lawyer Adeola Adedipe, SAN, made the application following an order by Justice Emeka Nwite, directing the EFCC to effect the service of the charge and proof of evidence on the ex-governor’s lead counsel, Abdulwahab Mohammed, SAN.