You Didn’t Invite Me – Ex-Kogi Gov, Yahaya Bello Counters EFCC

The immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has denied that he refused to honour an invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The EFCC had said the embattled former governor was invited for an interrogation on January 27 this year, but shunned the summon, thereby declaring him a fugitive after the attempt to arrest him in his Abuja residence failed.

Reacting to the statement on Tuesday, Bello, through his media office, said the allegations were blatant lies, daring the anti-graft agency to produce a copy of the invitation letter.

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It read, “Our attention has been drawn to a publication/press statement with the above title, issued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, 22nd April, 2024, and signed by Wilson Uwujaren, its Acting Director of Public Affairs.

“In the said statement, which the Commission carefully circulated widely as usual, Mr. Uwujaren, who we have to believe is not a lawyer, continues the EFCC’s ongoing unconscionable lies against the former Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Yahaya Bello, CON, by labelling him as a fugitive from justice in order to disingenuously justify their established and willful pattern of defying lawful court orders.

“Contrary to Mr. Uwujaren’s claims, official records and court documents relating to their hounding of Alhaji Yahaya Bello establish a clear timeline of events. These documents are endorsed with dates and times of filing and payments, which are endorsed on court processes – all of which testify to the true sequence of events.”

In a statement signed by Ohiare Michael, the ex-Kogi’s governor media office said faulted the EFCC claims against him, adding that it has only resorted to using intimidation and harassment.

The statement added that Bello is not afraid of the EFCC, but the rule of law must prevail and be respected over the issue.