Recently, Jesutega Onokpasa, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a former member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, made explosive allegations in a viral video. He claimed that some of President Bola Tinubu’s appointees are conspiring to succeed him before the end of his tenure. These individuals, according to Onokpasa, are wishing for Tinubu’s demise before 2027 for their selfish ambitions.
Onokpasa, a lawyer, lamented what he described as the hypocrisy, “pull him down” mentality, and anti-party activities rampant within the governing party. He cursed those he accused of wishing ill upon President Tinubu, warning, “If they don’t repent, Asiwaju will attend their funeral.”
Central to his revelations was the ongoing drama surrounding the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s allegations against former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, and the continued attacks on former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai. Onokpasa asserted that these events were orchestrated by those plotting to silence perceived threats to their power ambitions come 2027.
“Nobody is supporting corruption. However, we fight corruption according to the law. You cannot use the power of office to torment someone due to personal vendettas. We will not tolerate that in this party. We must not,” Onokpasa stated emphatically.
He further alleged that Yahaya Bello’s life might be in danger, suggesting that the EFCC case against him is a facade to remove him from the political scene before 2027, thereby clearing the path for those with nefarious ambitions. Onokpasa warned that these conspirators might meet their demise before President Tinubu.
The inference from Onokpasa’s claims is that the trial of Yahaya Bello is politically motivated by those who see him as a threat to their ambitions in 2027, should President Tinubu be unable to run for re-election. Onokpasa suggested that there might be attempts to eliminate Bello if he becomes a significant obstacle to these ambitions.
In light of these serious allegations, Onokpasa called on the EFCC Chairman to exercise caution and refrain from making public statements about a matter that is sub judice. He also urged the public to scrutinize not just the EFCC’s actions but also the body language and utterances of the trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite.
Justice, according to Onokpasa, is rooted in fairness and adherence to the principle of equality before the law. He emphasized that the accused must be alive to stand trial, as the presumption of innocence is in their favor. Denying this fundamental principle would undermine the essence of Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
The foundation of justice, as Onokpasa highlighted, lies in fairness and the principle of equality before the law. He quoted Lord Denning MR, who famously said, “once a judge sits on trial, the judge is on trial.” This raises a critical question: has Justice Emeka Nwite demonstrated fairness and adherence to the principle of equality in his handling of the proceedings against Yahaya Bello?
Onokpasa pointed to several worrisome incidents during the proceedings that raise concerns about the true intent behind the trial. He suggested that these events indicate a departure from fighting corruption and a shift towards an agenda to eliminate Yahaya Bello.
For instance, in 2023, the EFCC wrote to the American International School, Abuja (AISA), demanding the refund of school fees paid for Yahaya Bello’s children, claiming the funds were proceeds of fraud. When a family representative approached the FCT High Court (Suit No. FCT/HC/2574/2023: Mr. Ali Bello v. The Incorporated Trustees of American International School, Abuja), the court ruled in favor of the claimant, stating that AISA could not lawfully refund the fees to a third party, including the EFCC, without a valid court order.
Despite this judgment, AISA succumbed to EFCC pressure and refunded the money, thereby providing free services despite having been paid and mandated by the court not to do so.
Furthermore, the EFCC published the receipts of the payments, which bore the names of the children involved, exposing them to public scrutiny and making them victims of the EFCC’s media war.
Onokpasa acknowledged the importance of the EFCC in ensuring accountability among public officials but stressed that the commission must operate within the bounds of the law. He warned against persecuting individuals through the media before prosecuting them in court, as this undermines the integrity of the judicial process.
In response to the harassment and defamation, Yahaya Bello secured an interim order from the Kogi State High Court on February 9, 2024, restraining the EFCC from harassing, detaining, arresting, or persecuting him. However, on March 6, 2024, the EFCC filed a 19-count charge against Bello before Justice Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja, in defiance of the Kogi State High Court’s order.
The EFCC also sought to vacate the Kogi State High Court order at the Appeal Court (Appeal No: CA/ABJ/CV/175/2024: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission v. Alhaji Yahaya Bello), with arguments scheduled for April 22, 2024.
Bello’s lawyers filed a Notice of Preliminary Objection before Justice Nwite on April 12, 2024, challenging the court’s jurisdiction. They argued that the Kogi State Government had already filed a suit (Suit No: SC/CV/178/2023) before the Supreme Court, challenging the constitutionality of the EFCC’s powers to arrest and prosecute individuals related to the administration of Kogi State funds.
Despite these objections and the lack of proper service of the charge, Justice Nwite granted an ex parte order for an arrest warrant against Bello on April 17, 2024, even though Bello had not been served with the charge.
On April 17, 2024, the Kogi State High Court enforced Bello’s fundamental human rights, restraining the EFCC from harassing, detaining, arresting, or persecuting him without first obtaining the leave of a superior court.
On April 18, 2024, when Bello’s counsel pointed out the error in granting the arrest warrant, Justice Nwite dismissed the concerns and proceeded to order substituted service of the charge. Despite objections, Justice Nwite ruled on April 23, 2024, that the charge be served on Bello’s counsel, who had no authority to accept it.
On May 10, 2024, Justice Nwite ruled that the court would not entertain any application from Bello, including the jurisdictional challenge, until he appeared personally for arraignment. This decision, Onokpasa argued, demonstrated bias and a lack of fair-mindedness on the part of the judge.
Onokpasa questioned whether Justice Nwite could guarantee Bello’s safety during the trial, suggesting that the judge’s actions might be influenced by external forces aiming to eliminate Bello. He called for the judge to recuse himself from the case, asserting that Justice Nwite’s actions have eroded confidence in his ability to deliver impartial justice.
In conclusion, Onokpasa’s allegations suggest a deep-rooted conspiracy within the APC, targeting Yahaya Bello to clear the way for certain individuals’ ambitions in 2027. He urged for fairness, adherence to the rule of law, and impartiality in the judicial process to ensure that justice is served and the rights of the accused are protected.
