“Throughout history, those who have advocated a more hopeful view of human nature – often the progressives- have been persecuted.”
Popular Dutch Historian, Rutger Bregman, 1988
NOTHING delineates the above mentioned quote like the situation of the immediate-past governor of Kogi, Yahaya Bello.
The recent allegation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, that Yahaya Bello was involved in alleged N80bn misappropriation of the state’s fund has generated anger across the country as to the true intention of the anti-graft agency.
This is more justified as the alleged crime was curiously said to be been committed four months before Yahaya bell assumed office.
The EFCC had to shamelessly amend the charge FHC/ABJ/CR/550/2022 before the Federal High Court in a bid to prosecute Bello, who left office in January 2024, and they quoted September 2015 as the period the offence was committed.
Yahaya Bello was sworn in as governor of Kogi state in January 2016.
Before I continue, let me stress here that I am neither on the side of Yahaya Bello, nor that of the EFCC or the government of Kogi State. I will not cry more than the bereaved. My intervention here is limited to the drawing the good people of Nigeria especially President Bola Tinubu about the ills of persecuting a man for politics and power play.
It is baffling that a ma, who practically fought like a madman to give Tinubu good numbers in Kogi and some states in he north, not to talk of how he funded and ran the youth campaign with vigour and energy to the extent that his life was at risk could be subjected to this open and unjust persecution.
What is Yahaya Bello’s offence?
It is an established fact that Bello has a strong youth following across Nigeria and especially in the 19 Northern states and Abuja. That has been evident in all of his political endevour. This – some crooks in the APC didn’t like. How can a man with no godfather, no loud surname, be so strong in the country and get growing support of the youths and like-mind Nigerians.
It is this support that has generated a big call by millions of Nigerians for Bello o contest as President of this country, which he reluctantly agreed and later withdrew for he inc me, Tinubu.
It is also this support that has generated even bigger calls for Yahaya Bello to contest for the National Chairman of the APC, a position he has severally distant himself from and has proffered open support for the acting chairman, former Kano governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
But sadly, Ganduje and his cohorts in government, like Defence Minister, Abubakar Badaru, NSA Nuhu Ribadu, Budget Minister, Abubakar Bagudu and a few more are threatened by the growing political raise and relevance of Yahaya Bello. And these are all people that would have been in jail – if not for the shield and cover of the Tinubu’s administration.
The ‘Gandollar’ video is enough to send the acting APC Chairman to jail for five decades, no Governor has bastardized the resources of his state like Badaru did in Jigawa for eight years, the incumbent governor has started to see that too. Bagudu can’t step into some countries because of fraud cases against him and yet these are the people ‘telling’ the EFCC how and where to fight corruption.
And this government made dogs have resorted to using the EFCC to fight and bring Bello down – the motto of the EFCC is that no one is above the law and that starts with the commission, itself, which is certainly not and cannot possibly be above the law.
But Nigerians are angrier with every passing day as the government has resorted to turning a blind eye as some few in the administration have turned this into a clear case of persecution rather than lawfully anti-graft charge.
Some political monitors have inclined that these open persecutions of people that have given their all in ensuring that Tinubu gets to the Villa is grave consequences come 2027.
According to a northern elite, more grievous than subsidy removal. Tinubu’s worrying silence on the Yahaya Bello matter doesn’t inspire loyalty from top northern politician in Nigeria, the popular northern elder repeated said in an interview.
It’s alarming that the President has not seen the rapid decline of his 2027 chances this matter has caused him. But, one ting is sure, people are watching and silence is not the answer now.
I think it’s time for everyone to openly and unequivocally condemn this witch-hunt against Bello and every progressive politician and every leader at any level needs to take a stand on this matter. It’s truly time to stand against this utter travesty before this ‘small’ issue consumes us all in this country.
A word is enough for the wise.
Maina wrote in from Katsina.