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| Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello |
A day after the anti-graft agency, EFCC, provided ‘evidence’ that the N19.3 billion which the Kogi State Government allegedly hid in a commercial bank has been returned to the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Kogi government has denied the claim, accusing the agency of pursuing a political agenda.
However, rather than provide evidence to back its stance, the Kogi government said it would prepare a comprehensive response to what it called “the desperate moves by the commission.”
Recall that EFCC had accused the Kogi State Government of keeping about N20 billion bailout fund meant to pay workers salaries in a commercial bank in order to yield interest. The Kogi government had denied the allegation.
In its response, the Kogi government, through the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, said that the state government has facts to disprove the EFCC’s assertions.
He, however, did not provide the facts but said the Kogi government would prepare a comprehensive response later.
Mr Fanwo said that EFCC’s move was only a way to save its face in view of what it called its“ unethical conduct in the matter in dispute.”
“It is laughable the EFCC’s attempt to desperately wriggle out of a bad case with another mischief aimed, again, at misleading Nigerians.
“The EFCC had finally exposed the fact that it had been pursuing a political agenda all along.
“The press statement by the commission is a malicious attempt to rope the state into a matter that ordinarily has nothing to do with our dear state.
“We maintain the unassailable truth that the Kogi State Government did not operate such account with the Sterling Bank as affirmed in a letter by the bank.
“We sympathise with the EFCC as it has been a herculean task to cover the initial misinformation and deliberate deceit by the commission,” the statement added.
Mr Fanwo stressed that the Kogi government would react to the latest EFCC statement comprehensively, noting that “every option that is legal will be considered to maintain the innocence and transparency of our government.”
“Kogites (Kogi people) and indeed, Nigerians should rest assured that we will get to the root of this matter,” he assured.