By Onoja Integrity.
A former Kogi State Governorship aspirant, Dr. Ameh Erico Joseph has spoken on the alleged obstruction of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC’s) attempt to arrest of a former governor of the state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, by the incumbent governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo.
In this brief chat with this reporter in Lokoja on Saturday, the chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and 2019 gubernatorial aspirant, raised questions that suggest Ododo could not have whisked Bello away with such heavy presence of the EFCC officers at the former governor’s residence in Abuja on that fateful day, noting that the governor is a law abiding citizen and should be given the chance to perform optimally as the governor of Kogi.
He stated that the reports suggesting that Ododo aided his predecessor’s purported escape from arrest was an attempt to tarnish the Governor’s image.
“I am not here to simply affirm or deny such allegations straightforwardly. Let us consider the situation more deeply. Do you, from your heart of hearts, believe that Governor Ododo intentionally obstructed justice by concealing GYB within his convoy, despite the presence of an EFCC team prepared to make an arrest? Was GYB visibly present in Governor Ododo’s convoy? If it is true that GYB was in the convoy, why did the EFCC not continue to follow the convoy to its destination to carry out the arrest? Who among you can definitively say they saw GYB face to face in Ododo’s convoy? Once these questions are answered truthfully, we can discuss whether the actions taken were appropriate. As of now, there is no concrete proof that on that particular day Governor Ododo met with GYB or transported him to an undisclosed location.
“The narrative that Governor Ododo facilitated GYB’s escape from arrest seems to be an attempt to tarnish his reputation without solid evidence.
“Governor Ododo is a law-abiding leader who is committed to delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Kogi State. I encourage all to give him the benefit of the doubt; he will not disappoint us,” he said.
