Human rights advocate Comrade Daniel Atayi has publicly apologized to former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello for joining the social media outcry against the former governor, according to Daily Post. The accusations regarding corrupt activities were made by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which prompted these comments. When asked about his earlier rulings, Atayi acknowledged that they were predicated on accusations that were “yet to be established” and apologized for presuming guilt in the absence of a judicial decision. He acknowledged that by adopting the EFCC’s story without doing his own research, he had acted prematurely.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
In a viral video, Atayi revealed that after conducting his independent investigation into the accusations, he found that Yahaya Bello was a victim of political manipulation. According to Atayi, the former governor had been unjustly targeted due to his political stance, and the charges against him were largely influenced by political interests rather than genuine concerns about corruption.
Atayi criticized the current anti-corruption drive in the country, arguing that it is selective and biased. He highlighted the pattern of targeting politicians without strong political affiliations or influential godfathers, stating that Yahaya Bello’s situation exemplified this imbalance. He further accused the EFCC of focusing disproportionately on Bello’s case while ignoring other former governors who had faced similar corruption allegations but were spared such intense scrutiny.
The activist also reflected on how the EFCC’s portrayal of Bello had initially shaped his negative opinion. He shared that, like many others, he had believed the allegations without conducting a thorough inquiry. Atayi acknowledged that he had wrongfully criticized the former governor based on the assumption that his actions were representative of the failings of youth leadership in the country.
Atayi’s stance shifted during a recent trip to Lokoja, Kogi State, where he interacted with locals during a wedding. He shared that his initial intent was to gather more negative information about Bello, but he was surprised to hear widespread praise for the former governor’s performance in office. He found that most people commended Bello’s contributions to the state, particularly in infrastructure development, provision of social amenities, and strengthening security.
He said: “Look at what happened between Yahaya Bello, a former Kogi State Governor and the EFCC, without private investigation or independent investigation, you will believe what the EFCC is saying, like I believed too. I believed and even assaulted him that this is why they don’t give power to youth, to young people to lead; that look at how a young man would just come and abuse power and corruptly embezzle funds like that.
“When I traveled of recent to Lokoja for a wedding; I was made to look like a fool for believing the social media in the first instance without prior or independent investigation.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
