The EFCC alleged that the suspects diverted about N100
billion belonging to the Kogi government.
‘NO FUNDS MISSING’
Responding to the EFCC charge, the Kogi government said
funds belonging to the state did not go missing under the former governor.
Kingsley Fanwo, Kogi commissioner for information and
communications, said in a statement that the former governor is “squeaky
clean”.
He asked the EFCC to desist from mentioning the former
governor’s name in its “ongoing persecution”, adding that some political actors
are bent on destroying Bello.
“As a subnational in the Nigerian nationhood, we wish to
express our utmost respect for agencies set up to perform specific functions
towards the greatness of Nigeria,” Fanwo said.
“The desperation of the EFCC to hastily and for glaring
political reasons, hound the immediate past Governor on their corruption list
is unfortunate and speaks volume on how we reward altruistic leadership in our
nation.
“For the records, we
wish to make it clear that Kogi’s funds are not missing and that the EFCC is
trying so hard to find what is not missing.
“We therefore call on the EFCC to desist from mentioning the
name of Kogi State in its ongoing persecution, orchestrated by some political
actors in and around the Presidency bent on destroying the image of Alh. Yahaya
Bello and Kogi State.
“The amended charges in which the name of the former
Governor was mentioned are false, frivolous, fictitious and far from the truth.
They are cooked-up charges that signpost their desperation to call a dog a bad
name in order to hang it.”
