I write to commend your administration’s commitment to fulfill your electoral campaign promises, ethos and mantra especially the renewed hope agenda. Throughout history, no nation has achieved any leap without a visionary leader with strategic thinking and pragmatic framework built on evidence and data. We are indeed grateful to Almighty God that since you assumed office as President and Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria your leadership has shown all who love our country that indeed you are the leader we have for long yearned for. Your visionary leadership is gradually and systematically getting Nigeria to the promised land we all craved for.
Secondly my dear Mr President, your decision to implement painful but necessary policies to make our country a better place for our generation and those yet unborn is really reassuring and I commend you for this symbolic leadership gesture which is today generally acclaimed as a leadership that deals in hope. I am confident that these bitter pills though painful are ones we must swallow to avoid the labyrinth awaiting us in the future. My President, I urge you to continue on this track because history will surely vindicate you.
Your achievements so far assure those of us who stood by you during the last election that you are really the father of the nation and the father of our democracy just like Nelson Mandela of South Africa who paid the price for democracy, peace and development to thrive in his country. You have been consistent in support of a democracy that respects the rights of all citizens no matter their status.
In my state of Kogi, I remember vividly your brotherly and political relationship with my late mentor, Prince Abubakar Audu. I remember the good stories he used to tell us about your politics and the mutual respect you both have for each other. Though when he was the governor of Kogi state in 1992, you were in the senate, I remember the story he told us about a sordid occasion when he was to be politically embarrassed by some of his political enemies and how you saved him from that embarrassing situation. You admonished those against him to leave him alone as he was your senior colleague in politics whom you never want to see embarrassed. When Prince Abubakar Audu was alive you were with him as your loyalty and friendship with him was never in doubt and we in the Prince Abubakar Audu political dynasty will never forget your true friendship to our mentor when you appointed one of his sons as a minister in your administration. We are eternally grateful, Mr President, for this show of love.
Mr.Presodent, there is today a very disturbing issue in our dear state that needs your urgent intervention. This has to do with the present persecution of our former governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. This ugly episode is becoming very embarrassing to the people of the state, the All Progressives Congress, APC, as and all lovers of justice. I remember vividly the contributions of Yahaya Adoza Bello to your victory in the last presidential election in Kogi state and the nation in general having served as the director of youth of your Presidential Campaign Council.
His leadership also gave you the most resounding victory in Kogi state and the North-central states where you got almost 80 percent of the votes in the last election. For a man who worked assiduously to ensure your victory and that of the party to be allowed to be embarrassed by the EFCC is, to say the least, embarrassing to the people of the state. We want to say in clear terms that we are not saying you should shield him from prosecution because he is not above the law but we are begging you to compel the EFCC to follow due process by not denying him his fundamental human rights.
Some former state governors who the EFCC categorically mentioned even before they left office as having corruption cases established against them are presently walking free in the country. In fact, some of them are presently serving as very prominent members of your administration which we do not have any problem with because the laws of the land stipulate that every citizen is assumed innocent until proven otherwise by a court of competent jurisdiction.
KThe question we ask daily with no answer is, why is the case against our former governor different? Mr President, as the father of our nation, we are seeking your indulgence by asking you to please ask the EFCC to follow the due process of the law in this case. We believe that if due process is followed Yahaya Bello governor will not hesitate to present himself before the EFCC and the courts to answer the charges against him.
Please accept the assurances of my highest regard Sir
Barrister Halima Alfa Gaya Phd,
Abuja
