By Milcah Tanimu

Austin Okai, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Dekina/Bassa Federal Constituency in the 2023 elections, has claimed that former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello is hiding in the Kogi Government House. This allegation comes after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared Bello wanted in April for his failure to appear before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja regarding an alleged N84 billion money laundering case.

The EFCC had called on the public to provide information on Bello’s whereabouts to the commission or the nearest police station. In a statement on Friday, PDP chieftain Okai alleged that Bello was being shielded by Governor Usman Ododo. Okai accused Ododo of assisting Bello in evading the EFCC by whisking him away from Benghazi Street Zone 4 in Abuja. This information was reportedly relayed to the President by the Northern Ethnic Youth Group Assembly (NEYGA), and the Attorney General of the Federation also warned Ododo against obstructing justice.

Okai asserted that Bello is currently hiding in the Kogi State Government House under Ododo’s protection and that Ododo is allegedly being directed by Bello from a concealed location.