Laolu Akande, a former presidential aide, has called upon the American International School Abuja to elucidate the circumstances surrounding its acceptance of a substantial advance payment amounting to $760,000 from former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello for his children's educational fees.
As reported by DAILY POST, Bello, who is presently evading authorities following allegations of financial impropriety by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), purportedly disbursed $720,000 in advance to cover the tuition fees for five of his children. The funds, allegedly sourced from the Kogi State Government coffers, were directed to the American International School.
In response to these revelations, the school purportedly requested "authentic banking details" from the EFCC to facilitate the reimbursement of the disputed fees.
Expressing his incredulity, Akande, a former aide to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, articulated his astonishment at the school's acceptance of such a substantial upfront payment spanning multiple years. He underscored that the prevailing norm within the institution dictates a maximum advance payment equivalent to two years' worth of fees.
Akande further lamented the unfolding saga involving the former governor and the anti-graft agency, characterizing Bello's conduct as evasive and indicative of a fugitive mindset. He expressed dismay at the reported incident where Governor Usman Ododo allegedly intervened to whisk away his predecessor, ostensibly to evade imminent arrest by the EFCC.
In his words: “More befuddling, however, last week, Governor Usman Ododo allegedly whisked his predecessor away to prevent the EFCC from arresting him in Abuja."
In Akande's appraisal, the actions of both Bello and Ododo are deemed as disconcerting affronts to the integrity of the nation's governance framework. He questioned the rationale behind Bello's apparent reluctance to face the consequences of his alleged transgressions.