Yahaya Bello, the former Governor of Kogi State, and his successor, Usamn Ododo, visited Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), at his Abuja residence.

Wike's media aide, Lere Olayinka, shared photos of the visit on social media on Thursday, January 23, 2025, which caused a stir online.

The three politicians, who belong to different parties, were captured in the photos smiling as they exchanged pleasantries.

While the FCT Minister prides himself as a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ododo and Bello are known to be members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Though the purpose of the visit remained unknown as of press time, it marked the first time the embattled former Governor would be seen with Wike since his fraud and money laundering trial began.

Yahaya Bello's ordeal with EFCC

Bello has not been publicly spotted with his former colleagues or APC chieftains since his ordeal with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission began about one year ago.

Bello hid for months before eventually submitting to the anti-graft agency in late 2024. He was subsequently arraigned alongside two other suspects.

The former Governor and his co-accused are facing fraud charges before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja. The charges involve N110 billion allegedly diverted from the Kogi State government’s coffers.

In December 2024, he was granted bail and released from the Kuje Custodial Centre after pleading not guilty to the 16 counts the EFCC had brought against him.

The case has been adjourned to January 29, 2025.

Bello is also facing N80 billion money laundering charges at a Federal High Court in Abuja.