Re: Of a formidable eagle and paper tiger, By Shahada Umar

The EFCC, I believe, is determined to follow through with Bello’s trial. It does not need to be Aminu’s or anyone else’s tiger to do its job. The commission has recovered over N150 billion and secured over 2000 convictions in the last year. It cannot progress if it cherry-picks from Aminu, whose ethnic agenda and intention to instigate resentment in the commission are apparent but for whose vested interests we don’t yet know.

The article by one Nasir Aminu entitled, “A Formidable Eagle or a Paper Tiger,” exposes the dangers of a single narrative. But it’s obvious, from the start, that it was deliberate. I have seen many such tainted pieces. Smarter ones even try to disguise their motives from the beginning. But not this one.

In the article, the fellow, supposedly a teacher in Economics and Finance, with an interest in ethics, had one agenda: to feed the dangerous narrative that the leadership of certain institutions in the country is the prerogative of one section. What nonsense!

Invoking the nostalgia of the Nuhu Ribadu days and the current trial of former Governor Yahaya Bello were among the convenient distractions.

But he didn’t need to hide in plain sight. His scandalous attempt to stretch a weak narrative betrayed his sinister motive.

It is not the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, who has invited the drama in former Governor Yahaya Bello’s case. I thought Aminu should know that. The governor, in a desperate attempt to avoid accountability at all costs by manipulating public perception, is responsible. I’m sorry for the Kogi people.

The incident of 18 September, which Aminu pretends to be the basis of his article – and not his own distorted view – was one of the series of well-scripted shenanigans executed by Bello, without shame and possibly with the collusion of fifth columnists, to undermine the former governor’s trial.

He has been charged, since April, with 19 counts of financial misconduct, including conspiring to divert public funds for personal gain. If he had any respect for the people of Kogi who elected him, he would have long submitted himself to the court to answer these grave charges.

The EFCC, I believe, is determined to follow through with Bello’s trial. It does not need to be Aminu’s or anyone else’s tiger to do its job. The commission has recovered over N150 billion and secured over 2000 convictions in the last year. It cannot progress if it cherry-picks from Aminu, whose ethnic agenda and intention to instigate resentment in the commission are apparent but for whose vested interests we don’t yet know.

It is shocking that a teacher who should have called out Bello’s disgraceful conduct at the premises of the EFCC is using the unfortunate drama to advance his ethnic agenda at the commission and stir trouble within.

Shahada Umar, the Northern region coordinator of the Global Peace Movement International (UK), writes from Kaduna State.