Loyalty is a noble trait, a quality that strengthens bonds and builds trust. But, like a sword, it can cut both ways.
When wielded wisely, loyalty is a powerful force for good, but when taken too far, it can become a weapon of destruction.
The art of knowing when to draw the line is a delicate one, and those who fail to master it risk sacrificing their integrity, and even their relationships, on the altar of blind devotion.
In the world of politics, this conundrum is all too familiar, as the recent saga of Governor Usman Ahmed Ododo so aptly illustrates
Last week Monday, Kogi State Governor Ododo sparked a fiery debate about the burden of political loyalty.
Ododo’s embattled godfather and former Governor of Kogi, Yahaya Bello, has been on the run, playing hide-and-seek games with the country’s anti-graft agency over a money laundering case.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had received a warrant of arrest from the Federal High Court in Abuja to apprehend the ex-governor over an allegation of money laundering to the tune of N80 billion.
While the operatives of the Commission laid siege in his Abuja home, his godson and successor, Governor Ododo, drove in with his security details, frustrating the constitutional duties of the agency.
Minutes after his arrival, it was learned Ododo aided Yahaya Bello’s escape, thereby covering the fugitive with his immunity.
Consequently, the EFCC and the Nigerian Immigration Service swiftly placed Bello on their watchlist while Ododo was sternly warned of the imminent danger of shielding a wanted man.
Call for impeachment
Displeased by Governor Usman Ododo’s action, a human rights lawyer, Deji Ajare, wrote the Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Umar Yusuf, urging the legislatures to begin impeachment proceedings against Ododo over allegations of misconduct and abuse of office.
“In the light of the above allegations and the inherent potential breaches of statutory duties imposed by the Constitution and other relevant laws of our country, these actions, if proven true, amount to gross misconduct and warrant immediate investigation and commencement of impeachment proceedings.”
“I hereby call on the Kogi State House of Assembly under your leadership to initiate a thorough inquiry into these allegations by Section 188 of the Nigerian Constitution to ascertain the truth and to hold Governor Usman Ododo accountable if the allegations are found to be true.
“I also urge the Kogi State House of Assembly to cooperate with national law enforcement agencies, including the EFCC, to ensure all individuals involved are available for questioning and to facilitate a smooth investigation,” the letter partly read.
However, the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mohammed Yabagi, said his principal had not received the letter. But the problem with Governor Usman Ododo is the burden of loyalty and not knowing when to draw the line, analysts say.
Analysts also posited that Ododo, being a sitting governor, loyalty should be for the people he governs and, in some cases, the country and not necessarily for an individual. They argued that he had laid a bad precedent and that necessary action should be taken against him.
“Immunity abuse”
Governor Ododo’s move to shield Yahaya Bello from arrest is not an isolated incident.
Beyond loyalty, in 2016, the then Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike similarly intervened to prevent the arrest of Justice Mohammed Liman and Joi Nunieh, the former MD of NDDC.
Wike’s actions were seen as a bold stance against perceived political witch-hunts.
However, Bello’s case has sparked more controversy due to his controversial tenure as governor and perceived embarrassment to Nigerian youths. Many are watching keenly to see how the unfolding drama will be play out with Justice Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja adjourning the suit instituted by the EFCC against Bello to April 23, 2024
