THE media office of former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello has stated that the court is yet to prove the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s charges against the embattled governor.
This was announced in a statement issued yesterday by Bello’s media office director, Ohiare Michael, who also stated that the former governor did not pay his children’s school fees using funds from the Kogi State Government.
In a press conference on Tuesday, the Chairman of the EFCC accused Bello of withdrawing $720,000 from a government account to pay his children’s school fees in advance.
Following the press conferences, receipts for fee paid in the names of Bello’s children and other family members who paid separately went viral on social media.
However, his media office stated that Bello’s children attended the American International School in Abuja before he became Governor, “and he has paid fees for his children as of when due and without fail.”
It further stated that the records disclosed online were filed by his lawyers and imply that Bello has nothing to hide regarding the payment of advance fees for his children.
The statement read, “This unending harassment and persecution, even while in office, were among the key reasons he sought to enforce his fundamental human rights.
“We state that the payment of these fees and the legitimacy thereof is the subject matter of charge No. FHC/CR/573/2022, filed by the EFCC on 15th December 2022 at the Federal High Court, Abuja. The charge is pending and the court has yet to make any finding or convict anyone in respect of the said sum.
“It is imperative to remind Mr Olukoyede, who is a lawyer, that once parties have submitted a dispute to the court, they are to shun all actions and statements that may prejudice the hearing of the matter or the mind of the court.
“Since the matter is sub judice, we say no more, we await the EFCC’s proof of the allegations in court, which is the only venue where the proof of these allegations matters.”
The statement added, “His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello did not pay the sum of USD720,000 as alleged by the EFCC Chairman or USD840,000 as is being bandied about on the internet.
“The payment of the fees was not effected at about the time his Excellency was to leave office as claimed by Mr Olukoyede but same commenced in 2021.
“Alhaji Yahaya Bello did not pay the fees of his children with monies from the Coffers of the Kogi State Government. When the EFCC approached the American International School Abuja to illegally recover funds legitimately paid by Alhaji Yahaya Bello and other family members, a member of the family challenged the EFCC’s unlawful acts to recover funds legitimately paid.”
Citing a court suit, the statement added, “The court subsequently mandated AISA to continue to provide the services it had been paid concerning the fees. From the foregoing, it is clear that no money belonging to Alhaji Yahaya Bello or his family members about school fees has been recovered by the EFCC.
“Now, let it be known that contrary to misleading narratives by the EFCC, all the documents published online i.e. receipts and letters, that the EFCC has released online, in furtherance of its unrelenting persecution of the former Governor, are documents filed by lawyers in the suit instituted on behalf of Alhaji Yahaya Bello and others who paid fees for their wards under the Adv
ance Fee Payment Agreement with AISA.”
Bello’s media office stated that their principal does not visit law enforcement agencies “through the backdoor” and is committed to “following due process in accordance with the rule of law” and that “No amount of blackmail will deter him.”
Meanwhile, a Kogi High Court sitting in Lokoja yesterday ordered the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, to come before it on May 13 to explain why he should not be sanctioned for allegedly defying its order.
Justice I.A. Jamil of High Court IV issued the decision while ruling on Suit No: HCL/68M/2024 and Motion No: HCL/190M/2024, which were filed before him by formerbGov, Yahaya Bello of Kogi in Lokoja.
Recall that the EFCC chairman is facing a contempt charge for allegedly carrying out “some acts upon which they (the EFCC) have been restrained” by the court on February 9, pending the outcome of the substantive originating application.
Recall also that on April 17, EFCC operatives lay siege to the former governor’s residence, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, in an attempt to arrest him, despite a court order prohibiting them from doing so while the originating application was heard.
Justice Jamil’s order was based on a motion ex parte made by Yahaya Bello through his counsel, M.S. Yusuf.
