Yahaya Bello: Group Kicks As Justice Nwite Stops EFCC From Probing Fayemi’s Aides

A group, the Ekiti Justice Group (EJG), has described as strange, the granting of an ex-parte order by Justice Emeka Nwite of Federal High Court, Abuja, barring the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from probing former Ekiti State Procurement Director General, Seun Odewale and Ariyo Oyinkolawa Adesola, over their alleged fraud.

The two were alleged to have embezzled funds budgeted for the Ekiti Airport project, among other alleged atrocities.

The group said it was disturbing that the same Justice Nwite, who issued a bench warrant for the arrest of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, despite the pendency of an order of a high court stopping his arrest and prosecution.

The group wondered why Justice Nwite could stop the EFCC from investigating Adesola and Odewale, when Dr. Kayode Fayemi was governor.

In a statement issued yesterday, by its Coordinator, Tunji Oluwasanmi, the EJG, accused Justice Nwite of double-standard, wonder ing why what was good for the goose in Kogi State was not good for the gander in Ekiti State.

Just as in the case of Yahaya Bello, the applicant’s lawyer, Chief R.O. Balogun, SAN, in the suit argued that; “While the EFCC is using the investigation of Ekiti State government finances as the basis for interrogating his clients, the propriety of the EFCC’s investigation regarding contracts awarded or executed by the government of Ekiti State is the subject of an appeal pending before the Court of Appeal in Ado-Ekiti.”

Balogun added that there was also a pending motion for a stay of execution and an injunction pending appeal.

According to him, the pending case is challenging the EFCC’s power to investigate or make inquiries into the contracts awarded or projects executed with monies appropriated by the Ekiti State House of Assembly.