The immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, pleaded with Justice Emeka Nwite on Friday, December 13, over his initial failure to appear in court for trial.
According to Bello, he was only exploring legal avenues to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to try him on the allegations the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) levelled against him.
Bello through his lawyer, a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, J. B. Daudu, SAN, said, “I want to plead and to correct any impression that may have been created that the defendant did not wish to appear before your lordship for his arraignment.
“What he did, which is not an anathema in law, was to direct his counsel to challenge the jurisdiction of the court.
“I was not a wilful disrespect. He acted with the belief that he was trying to defend himself as best as possible. He holds this court and, by extension, my lord, in very high esteem.
“What transpired then was an episode that could have been avoided. It has come and passed, and we mean no harm to this court. Things are clearer now.
“The defendant, being a two-term governor of Kogi State who travelled only twice throughout his tenure, I can assure my lord that he will be available for his trial. There should be no apprehension that he will jump bail.”
On his part, counsel to the EFCC, Mr Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, said he was not opposed to the defendant’s request for bail.
He, however, urged the court to impose conditions that would compel his attendance at his trial.
