Kogi State Forum of Concerned Citizens, has called on the leadership of the All Progressive Congress, APC to immediately suspend Kogi state Governor, Usman Ododo, from being a member of the party for brazenly obstructed law enforcement agencies from carrying out their lawful duties.
The group accused Governor Ododo of elevating his servitude to Yahaya Bello above his oath of office and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which he swore to uphold.
Addressing a press conference on Monday 22 April, 2024 in Abuja, the Convener of the group, Elder Simon Achuba noted that the way and manner Governor Ododo smuggled Yahaya Bello from his Benganzi street home thereby obstructing the cause of justice was disgraceful, shameful and illegal.
Elder Achuba, who was the Former Deputy Governor of Kogi state, urged Governor Ododo to return to his state to provide leadership and governance, instead of using his security personnel attached to him to protect Yahaya Bello to evade justice.
Kogi State Forum of Concerned Citizens said, “The continuous payment of salaries of personal staff of Yahaya Bello from the state coffers is an abuse of office and his days of reckoning and accountability will soon be at hand.”
The Forum asserted that Governor Ododo should be requested to immediately “surrender his abductee, Yahaya Bello to the authorities” having personally abducted him from his Wuse Zone 4, Abuja residence on Wednesday 17th April under the cover of his immunity.
Also speaking on the state judiciary that succumbed to former Governor Bello’s pressure which made him recommends his wife and relatives to be appointed as judges of the state high court, the Forum called on the National Judicial Council, NJC to carefully look at the laws and rules that guide appointment of judicial officers to safe the nation from judicial catastrophy.
“This is a woman that had never practiced law since her call to bar. Today, the state judiciary that ought to be the beacon of hope for justice to everyone is at its knees begging for instruction from former Governor Bello and Governor Ododo to pervert justice. The same goes for the state legislature that is now a mere rubber stamp for executive rascality in the state. The concept of separation of powers and independence of the judiciary is alien to former Governor Bello and by extension, Governor Ododo.”
“The state judiciary has surrendered itself to the state government hence becoming an avenue for the procurement of frivolous injunctions to further frustrate the fight against corruption that crippled the judiciary itself.” the group said.
The group however, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his war against corruption and abuse of office by Public officers and his doggedness in maintaining the sanctity of law and order irrespective of who is involved.
The Forum further commended President Tinubu for not allowing himself to be “hoodwinked by his yesterday haters turned his boot leakers now that they found themselves in a tight corner. As a man of many parts, Mr President has proven that he has a memory of an elephant.”
