Olayiwola Matthew
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismissed suggestions that Yahaya Bello’s renewed political activities within the All Progressives Congress (APC) could influence the outcome or pace of his ongoing criminal trials.
Wilson Uwujaren, the commission’s director of public affairs, spoke on Monday during the Arise News breakfast show.
He said the former Kogi governor’s involvement in party affairs and his declared senatorial ambition are irrelevant to the cases already before the courts.
Uwujaren said Bello is currently standing trial on allegations of fraud and money laundering and that the prosecution process is progressing in line with judicial procedures, independent of political considerations.
According to him, the EFCC is focused solely on presenting its case before the courts, adding that it is not the responsibility of the anti-graft agency to determine guilt or innocence.
He noted that the constitution guarantees the presumption of innocence for any defendant until a court delivers a guilty verdict, noting that Bello, like any other accused person, is entitled to that protection under the law.
“It will take some time before you prove some of these charges in court. As I speak to you, the trial (referring to Bello’s) is still ongoing before the court,” Uwujaren said.
“We are presenting witnesses and evidence. It is not the commission that will decide the matter. It is the court.
“All we need to do is to follow the prosecution in court and ensure that at the end of the day, prosecution and defense get justice.
“The constitution presumes that anyone who is under trial is presumed innocent until that case is proven”.
Uwujaren also rejected the notion that the EFCC could be distracted or influenced by Bello’s political moves, insisting that the commission does not operate within the political space.
He said the commission’s obligation is to Nigerians and to the judicial process, adding that the agency remains committed to pursuing the charges it has filed until the courts reach a final determination.
“Whatever is happening to him (Bello) with his party, that is party affairs. It has nothing to do with EFCC. It has nothing to do with the charge that we have filed,” he added.
“The responsibility that we hold Nigerians is to be faithful with the charges we have filed against him in court. We are prosecuting those charges religiously nothing has gone amiss.
“Whatever the party does to him that is the party’s business. EFCC is not a political party. We are not interested in politics. We have nothing to do with what happens in the political realm.”
The anti-graft agency is currently prosecuting Bello at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court and the federal high court in Abuja on alleged fraud and money laundering.
The former Kogi governor is currently on bail.
In December 2025, Bello announced his intention to contest for a senatorial seat.