By Ahmed Ilallah
The ongoing battle between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello over allegations of N80 billion fraud is casting a shadow on the leadership potential of the youth generation in Nigeria. While it’s become a norm for Nigerian political leaders to evade accountability, especially when faced with corruption charges, Yahaya Bello’s attitude towards answering to the court order is a disgrace to the leadership mentality of the youth generation.
As a young leader who became governor in his early thirties, Yahaya Bello should be bold and lead by example, facing the allegations and proving his innocence. The factors of corruption, poor governance, and immoral politics have hindered the growth of good democracy in Africa. The story of South Africa’s liberation is a stark reminder of this. After Nelson Mandela’s exemplary leadership, his successors, Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma, were accused of corruption, with Zuma currently serving time in prison.
In Nigeria, President Buhari, who was elected at an advanced age, was trusted by Nigerians to tackle corruption. However, many of his trusted allies have been accused of high-level corruption cases during his eight-year leadership. The recent watchlisting of Yahaya Bello by the Nigerian Immigration Service and his declaration as wanted by the EFCC and other security agencies for defaulting on a court order is a shameful development.
Yahaya Bello claims the EFCC disobeyed the Kogi State High Court order by seeking to arrest and arraign him before the Federal High Court in Abuja. However, legal experts like Femi Falana argue that the EFCC has diligently complied with the Kogi State High Court order by filing charges of money laundering against Bello. Falana further states that the Federal High Court’s order for Bello’s arrest and arraignment aligns with the Kogi State High Court’s order.
Regardless of the legal nuances, Yahaya Bello should demonstrate good citizenship by facing the law and proving his innocence. Failure to do so implies guilt or an inability to prove his innocence, which is a disservice to the youth generation he represents.
Contact: alhajilallah@gmail.com
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