Afrigather 
By Nafisat Bello
“A prophet just isn’t with out honor besides in his hometown and in his personal family. And it appears he didn’t do many mighty works there, due to their unbelief”
The above immortal and celestial phrases have been reportedly spoken by Jesus Christ to the individuals of Nazareth, the city the place he grew up. The time-tested prophecy was made within the context of their refusal to consider in his instructing as a result of they thought of him one in all themselves and subsequently with out authority to evangelise to them.
The Holy Bible through this quote uncovered us to the story of how a Prophet just isn’t usually honoured at house however revered overseas. It have to be the human tendency of not valuing what they’ve and who they see regularly.
As a rule, this similar Prophet who’s dishonoured and disrespected amongst his kiths and kin instructions loads of consideration and followership from people who don’t have day by day entry to him, who’re distant from him and who solely view him from afar.
Additionally Learn: Day Buhari Testified to Yahaya Bello’s Legacy Projects in Kogi State By Hafsat Ibrahim
This agelong concern of a Prophet not commanding respect at house have to be the closest phenomenon that may clarify the obsession of the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) with Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state within the midst of awards, commendations and accolades for accountability and transparency by famend worldwide organisations led by the World Financial institution.
Even after the Fee didn’t nail the state authorities over the spurious allegation of illegally diverting the sum of N20 billion naira bailout funds, it seems just like the EFCC has began one other macabre dance whose intent clearly is to embarrass the establishment and molest it’s officers.
The Fee in one other media trial went to city just lately with an announcement a few explicit cash laundering case by which some arrests have been made and in the middle of which they should torchlight the Kogi state authorities. That was how they went to city with the N20 billion naira case with out correct investigation till Sterling Financial institution threw the Fee underneath the bus with a few depositions to courtroom that stated that there was no such account or a directive from the state authorities to divert bailout funds.
“The media trial by the EFCC is a calculated and orchestrated plan to embarrass the State Authorities by going after its Officers and Associates with trumped up fees to fulfill the harmful fangs of their paymasters,” the state Commissioner for Finance, Kingsley Fanwo, stated in a current assertion.
The commissioner argued additional that the inclination of the EFCC was in opposition to the acknowledgment of due course of and monetary accountability award given to the Kogi State Authorities by worldwide organisations. He significantly cited the current honour accorded the Kogi State Authorities by the World Financial institution funded SFTAS undertaking by which Kogi was lifted above friends in monetary accountability.
The assertion learn partly: “Our consideration has been drawn to a press assertion on the web site of the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee to the impact that they arraigned some individuals who they alleged have been linked with laundering monies belonging to the Authorities of Kogi State.
“In as a lot as we might not need to delve into the depth of the matter which is now sub judice, it’s pertinent to attract the eye of most of the people to the truth that the desperation of the EFCC to crucify Kogi State in any respect prices could have landed them in one other bother. In contrast to the EFCC that has been identified for serial contempt of courtroom underneath the present management; we’re dedicated to permit the regulation to take its due course on the matter and our innocence, once more, confirmed past affordable doubt.
“It could be recalled that this similar EFCC as soon as accused the Kogi State Authorities of stashing 20 billion naira bailout funds in a set deposit account in Sterling Financial institution. When the authorized fireworks have been about to ruffle their biased feathers, they rapidly backed out and claimed the cash had been returned to the Central Financial institution of Nigeria. Until date, they haven’t proven Nigerians any proof of the return even when Sterling Financial institution Plc has underneath oath denied the return of any monies belonging to the Kogi State Authorities. It’s trite that what doesn’t exist can’t be taken or returned.
“The media trial by the EFCC is a calculated and orchestrated plan to embarrass the State Authorities by going after its officers and associates with trumped up fees to fulfill the harmful fangs of their paymasters.
“Let or not it’s on file that no cash belonging to the Kogi State Authorities was laundered. SFTAS is a World Financial institution accountability undertaking to make sure the Authorities stays accountable to the individuals. For a few years, Kogi has gained awards as one of the clear State Governments in Nigeria. A accountable anti-graft company would have made Kogi an instance of transparency and excellence. Nonetheless, with its limitless wild goose chase, Nigerians would even surprise if EFCC’s clearly biased corruption binoculars are solely designed for Kogi State.
“It’s not surprising that the EFCC would really feel dissatisfied that the monies they claimed had been stolen from the coffers of the state have been used to construct Nigeria’s finest hospitals, good roads, finest colleges which might be about to be commissioned. We can’t assist their descent into political pawn. We’ll proceed to make the assets of our state work for our individuals.
“Nigerians know that the current Gestapo-like operation in opposition to the State was occasioned by EFCC’s failure to promote the “fastened” Bailout funds debacle to the individuals. They turned determined to avoid wasting their face from the shame bestowed on them by their ‘Destroy Kogi’ Agenda.”
Whereas the Commissioner’s tackle the matter could also be dismissed as an anticipated protection of his paymaster, impartial and extra credible Nigerians and civil society teams have additionally agreed with him and brought the aspect of the Kogi state authorities. They’ve all condemned EFCC’s lawlessness and resort to extrajudicial measures to settle scores.
Main the pack is a former President of the Nigerian Bar Affiliation (NBA), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), who tackled the EFCC over what he described as an ‘unwarranted media trial of the Kogi State authorities’ concerning the case in opposition to Governor Bello’s nephew and the N20 billion bail-out controversy.
Agbakoba in a current press convention in Lagos famous that the anti-corruption company is popping itself right into a one-man Robin Hood riot gang, which should not be allowed.
Based on him, how a state spends its cash shouldn’t be the enterprise of the EFCC, however that of the Impartial Corrupt Practices and Different Associated Offences Fee (ICPC).
“It’s not the obligation of the EFCC to be chasing the Kogi state authorities and threatening to storm the State Home to grab paperwork or harass the Accountant-Basic of the state.
“If I have been the lawyer to the Kogi State authorities, what I’d do is to go to courtroom and inform the courtroom that on account of the Supreme Court docket judgment, the EFCC doesn’t have the ability to demand that we should always present paperwork or give them our accounting books.
“If we have now misplaced cash, we’re those to complain and if we’re not complaining or we’re complicit in any fraud, then the suitable company to deal with it’s the ICPC or the state Home of Meeting,” Agbakoba added.
A gaggle of anti-corruption activists has additionally risen in assist of the state authorities in what they described because the politicisation of the EFCC.
Based on them, the Fee’s current actions, particularly in opposition to the Kogi State Authorities, painting it as a “compromised political software.”
The civil society teams which embrace leaders of the Centre for Anti-corruption and Open Management, Centre for Public Accountability, Coalition Towards Corruption and Unhealthy Governance, Africa Labour Analysis Centre, and Secureworld and Liberty Initiative for Peace, known as on President Muhammadu Buhari to rein-in the EFCC and save no matter is left of the administration’s file in preserving the rule of regulation and strengthening establishments.
The attention-grabbing a part of it’s that whereas the EFCC dances bare available in the market, in search of what’s not lacking, the World Financial institution just lately recommended Governor Bello for the refund of a $4.63 million surpluses underneath the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Administration Undertaking (NEWMAP).
This was contained in a letter of appreciation entitled ‘Refund of Surplus Undertaking Funds to the World Financial institution underneath the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Administration Undertaking (NEWMAP) (IDA Credit: 62770, 62780)’, signed by its Regional Director, Shubham Chaudhuri, the Bretton Woods establishment asserted that Bello’s motion made it doable for the organisation to increase it’s initiatives to different states going through deficit funds and shutting date of its initiatives.
Kogi state has additionally gained the World Financial institution’s Awards of Excellence in three classes which embrace the fiscal transparency and accountability, Debt sustainability and Home income mobilisation.
From all indications subsequently, the EFCC’s obsessive urge to nail the state authorities to the cross on transparency points with none thorough or diligent investigation flies within the face of actuality. It stays to be seen how far the anti-graft company can go on this combat to suppress the reality and impose it’s antonym.
Nafisat Bello is with Politics Digest Abuja
