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  • Kogi poll: My victory is certain, Yahaya Bello boasts

    Kogi poll: My victory is certain, Yahaya Bello boasts

    Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has said his victory at the forthcoming governorship election in the state is certain.

    The governor is seeking a second term at the November 16 election.

    Bello spoke to State House correspondents at the weekend after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He was with the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole.

    The governor said he had been prepared for the election even before the Presidential and National Assembly elections in February.

    But he added that he was not taking anything for granted.

    His achievements, he said, was there for all to see and the people were waiting for November 16 to vote for him.

    Bello noted that his achievements included up-to date salary payment, despite settling backlog when he assumed office.

    Nightlife in the state, he said, was back following improved security.

    The governor also said he was committed to free, fair and credible election.

    He said: “As regards … preparedness…I have been ready for this election even before the last general election…

    ‘So, we are well prepared … As for victory, I think by the grace of God, it is assured.

    As the chairman has said, we are not going to take anything for granted. Whether the candidate of the opposition party is strong or not, we will approach the election with seriousness and ensure that it is conducted freely and fairly and we will become victorious by the grace of God. On November 17, we will be announced the winner.”

    He denied the Peoples Democratc Party’s (PDP’s) allegations that he planned to scuttle PDP primaries.

    Bello said “If you monitor all the activity of the PDP in Kogi State…it has always been marred or characterised by violence, guns, maiming …and all kinds of attacks.

    So the outcome of that of the last primaries they conducted shouldn’t take anyone by surprise.

    “We have a larger number of delegates in Kogi State. We started our exercise early enough and finished early enough in peace. I am not a member of PDP, I wouldn’t go in there and conduct it for them.

    “So, it is their character, it is their stock-in-trade and that is what they are known for and so should rather look inward rather than pointing fingers outside.

    “You see, when you have a cancer and you don’t treat it but rather you are treating malaria, you will never get rid of cancer. So, that is the problem the PDP has, they have cancer and should treat the cancer and shouldn’t look outside.

    Asked what message he was taking to Kogi electorate for the next four years, he said “The people of Kogi State have actually seen my performance against the performance of previous PDP governors. In less than three and half years, they have seen all my wonderful performances.

    “In fact starting with even the issue of salaries, it’s just that all along, I have chosen not to speak about the issue of salary because it is a problem I inherited.

    “And in any case governance is a continuum, you inherit both assets and liabilities. When you inherit assets, you make use of it, when you inherit liabilities or trouble you try to solve it, you don’t complain about it.’’

    “So I refused to make comment about the issue of salaries.

    As a matter of fact, the issues of salaries arrears I have already accepted by my immediate predecessor he inherited from Ibro’s administration.

    “These past two PDP Governors couldn’t solve it, I have come to solve it. That already is a kudos to this administration that the people of Kogi State should vote for us.”

    Bello also boasted that every local government in the state have various projects completed by his administration.

    “Every local government in Kogi are dotted with various infrastructural development. The people of Kogi State have spoken before in the last general election, they will speak again.”

    On security, he said “Lastly, if you look at Kogi State in the past, if you are a traveler you will hold your breath. The inhabitants as early as 6:30 they will only manage to pray their morning prayer and in the evening they will manage to pray their evening prayer and go to bed, but today, even along the streets of Kogi you will see people jogging, exercise, night life is back as a result of improved security situation in the state today.

    “Kogi State is the second safest state in Nigeria today, I didn’t say it. We have various bodies that rate the performance of various government and administration, Nigeria Bureau of statistics and the rest of them, they said it.

    “So if you look at it, we have performed so wonderfully that the people of Kogi state are eager that 16th November should come and let them speak with their votes and I know they will speak very well and re-elect me, the APC and we shall become victorious.” he said

    Asked if he was going to carry along the labour leaders he proscribed, Bello said “Well, it is not a battle we are going into, we are going into a contest, one I know is going to be free and fair and I am going to win that election by the grace of God. The APC under the leadership of the national chairman, we are going to campaign vigorously well and we shall become victorious.

    “The people who have decided to become rebellious to bring down the institution of higher learning at certain point in time have today seen the benefits of telling them to please give peace a chance.

    “They have given peace a chance and you can see the last strike, Kogi State didn’t go on strike, we have very stable educational in Kogi State. As per all the labour leaders in Kogi State, we are moving on harmoniously, you can confirm from the various chapters.

    “If not because they are not politicians, labour leaders would have taken the fore front to campaign for my re-election.” he said

  • Kogi guber poll: Buhari, Oshiomhole, Yayaya Bello meet in Aso Rock

    Kogi guber poll: Buhari, Oshiomhole, Yayaya Bello meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday met behind closed doors with the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiohmole.

    The meeting started at the President’s office around 3.30pm.

    Oshiohmole was accompanied by Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.

    Issues to be discussed at the meeting may not be unconnected with the forthcoming governorship election in Kogi state and other party issues.

    The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report.

  • Kogi Gov, Yahaya Bello speaks on disrupting PDP governorship primary

    Kogi Gov, Yahaya Bello speaks on disrupting PDP governorship primary

    Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state has dismissed the accusations by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party that he masterminded the disruption of the party’s primary election on Wednesday morning.

    He said his administration should not be held responsible for the disruption.

    “I’m not a member of PDP. We gave a level-playing field to PDP and other political parties to carry out their activities freely within the state.

    “They moved round the nooks and crannies, all the aspirants in other political parties moved round the nooks and crannies of Kogi state.

    “I conducted the security people round the Stadium and went round the stadium and my security chiefs in Kogi were very excellent and up and doing as far as Kogi is concerned,” he said.

    Voting had ended at the PDP primary to elect its flag bearer in the November election and sorting of votes had begun when gunmen invaded the venue, bringing the proceedings to an end.

    The party hours later accused Governor Bello for sending the gunmen to the venue.

    Curiously however the party was able to announce the result of the election, save some 247 ballots that the election committee claimed were missing following the disruption.

  • JUST IN: APC names Appeal Committees for Kogi, Bayelsa gov primaries

    JUST IN: APC names Appeal Committees for Kogi, Bayelsa gov primaries

    The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has named three-member Appeal Committees for the recently conducted primaries for the Kogi and Bayelsa Governorship elections.

    A statement on Thursday by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, disclosed the appeal committee for the Kogi indirect primary consists of Senator Abdulahi Umar Yandoma (Chairman), Hajia Amina Muhammed (Secretary) and Tony McFoy (Member).

    For Bayelsa, it said the membership of the committee includes: Barrister Shuaibu Aruwa (Chairman), Edith Newman Amadi (Secretary) and Hon. Abdul Malik El-Yakub (member).

  • You can’t get refund, Oshiomhole tells Kogi APC aspirants who lost to Gov Bello

    You can’t get refund, Oshiomhole tells Kogi APC aspirants who lost to Gov Bello

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on Thursday dashed the hope of a possible refund of money to aspirants who lost the party’s governorship ticket in the just-concluded Kogi primary.

    Oshiomhole, who was addressing newsmen after meeting with the 16 aspirants, said the party has a tradition which has to be maintained.

    Out of the 16 aspirants that bought the nomination and expression of interest form at the cost of N22.5 million, seven of them were not cleared to participate in the exercise for various reasons.

    But nine others, including Governor Yahaya Bello, who won the ticket, were cleared.

    Oshiomhole said: “Our party is guided by rules. If there are issues that we need to discuss, those are APC issues and not meant for the Press.

    “We are not doing election for the first time. We have traditions and we don’t have any application before us.”

    He added: “This afternoon, we had extensive conversation as APC family to talk through issues arising from the Kogi state governorship primary which was conducted last week.

    “I am sure that you know some of those who participated or attempted to participate in the process. They are men and women who, by any criteria can be said to be fit and proper persons to govern a state.

    “But as you know, in democracy, if you have 16 angels as we had seeking the mandate of the people to produce just one person as governor, it means that 15 angels will not get it.

    “So, winning or losing a primary is not a statement of your integrity, you capacity, your capability or your intellect. It is simply a fact that once you have more than one candidate and you have only one vacancy, only one person will win.

    “As you already know, Governor Badaru of Jigawa state led the team that conducted the primary in Kogi state and have declared Governor Yahaya Bello as the winner of that exercise.

    “We therefore decided to invite all those who participated in the process or wanted to participate and for one reason or the other, were not able to do so to have a conversation on the need to put the conduct of that process behind us.

    “Usually in every campaign, aspirants tends to bad mouth each other, while trying to project themselves and people could fee injured, people could get angry over statements made. In our own part of the country, there can also be issues of how the exercise was conducted, whether it was free or not free.

    “I want to thank all those who participated in the process and to thank our party members in Kogi state and going forward, to thank the good people of Kogi state who do not belong to any political party and whose future, our party is committed to improving by using the instrument of state in a way that will add value to the lives of the people of Kogi state.”

    The APC chairman announced that all those who lost out in the process have assured the party that will not challenge the outcome of the exercise in court, but will work for the success of the party during the election.

  • BREAKING: Musa Wada defeats Melaye, 11 others, emerges Kogi PDP gov candidate

    BREAKING: Musa Wada defeats Melaye, 11 others, emerges Kogi PDP gov candidate

    Engr. Musa Wada has emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag bearer for the November 16 governorship election.

    Musa Wada, a younger brother of the immediate past Governor Idris Wada, who also contested for the ticket, scored 748 votes to clinch the party ticket.

    He was closely followed by Abubakar Mohammed Ibrahim, the son of a former governor, Ibrahim Idris (Ibro), who polled 710 votes.

    The immediate past governor, Capt. Wada, came third with 345 votes while Senator Dino Melaye polled 70 vote to emerge fourth.

    Others include Aminu Suleiman- 55 votes, Victor Adoji-54, Erico Joseph- 42, AVM Saliu Atawodi (retd.)- 11, Emmanuel Omebije- 9 votes, Mohammed Shuaibi- 4 votes, Bayo Michael- 2 votes and Jabiru Haruna- 0.

    Counting resumed on Wednesday in the disrupted Kogi Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary.

    The exercise, which was ongoing ended abruptly in the early hours of Wednesday following the invasion of the Lokoja Confluence Stadium, venue of the primary, by gunmen.

    Voting by the delegates had however ended and sorting of ballots under way, when the gunmen stormed the venue at around 1.45am, causing pandemonium.

    Votes in eight out of the 10 ballot boxes had been sorted and counted before the disruption, following which the Governor Umar Fintiri-led election panel called a meeting of all the 13 aspirants at the end of which it was agreed that sorting and counting should continue.

  • Kogi PDP gov pry: One feared dead, many injured

    Kogi PDP gov pry: One feared dead, many injured

    A delegate to the governorship primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lokoja, Kogi, is feared dead when gunmen invaded the venue and shot gun bullets in the early hours of Wednesday while some party members are injured.

    The state Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Bode Ogunmola in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja on Wednesday, identified the delegate as Mr Ibrahim Abdullahi from Kogi Local Government Area.

    He said that the delegate who died in the stampede that followed the invasion of the Lokoja Confluence Stadium, venue of the primary election by gunmen, had been buried.

    Ogunmola said that the Electoral Committee led by Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa would come out with a decision on the development after a meeting.

    The gunmen invaded the venue some minutes after 2.a.m when ballots in seven out of the 10 boxes had been sorted out. Thirteen aspirants participated in the primary.

    However, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP William Aya, said that tha police had no record of death from the incident.

    But Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi said that the alleged invasion of the venue of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary was unfortunate.

    Bello said that the details of the shooting were still sketchy, but noted that the gunfire incident might not be unconnected with the usual ‘do-or-die’ politics of opposition whose desperation to win at all cost had led to such violence and crisis in the state.

    The governor, therefore, directed the security agencies to get to the roots of the matter immediately, stressing that it posed a grave danger to the Nov. 16 governorship election in the state.

    He promised to update the public as soon as he had been fully briefed by the law enforcement agencies.

    The governor commiserated with the injured and the families of the alleged killing of a party member in the incident.

    The governor assured the people of the state that the incident would “not be swept under the carpet” no matter the status of those involved.

    The governor also reaffirmed his commitment to institutionalising lasting peace in all parts of the state, stressing that peace in the state remained non-negotiable.

  • Kogi governorship: Bello emergence a walk over victory for us – PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said on Monday that with Gov. Yahaya Bello as the APC flag bearer it would easily win the Nov. 16 governorship election in Kogi. Mr Bode Ogunmola, the PDP spokesman in the state, made the remark in a statement in Lokoja.

    Ogunmola said the poor performance of the governor in the last three and half years and public resentment against his administration would ensure “a sweat-less victory’’ for PDP.

    “PDP has long been praying for the APC to make the mistake of re-presenting Bello for the governorship poll. “It is a well known fact that the governor cannot win any local government in Kogi due to his poor performance, and the way and manner the resources of the state is being massively looted.

    “His desperation to return is to save himself from going to prison over looted funds. That was why he had to spend hugely to get strong contenders disqualified. “If he succeeds in fooling the leadership of his party and the delegates, we are confident that he cannot fool Kogi electorate who are victims of his monumental misgovernance,’’ Ogunmola said.

    However, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, the Director-General of Media and Publicity of the governor, assured that Bello would continue to concentrate on governance in spite of preparations for the Nov. 16 poll. Reacting to the PDP’s statement, Fanwo told newsmen that the governor would not bandy words as he had responded adequately to the PDP in February and March (general elections) with unprecedented defeat.

    “We are even stronger going into the November Governorship election. The governor won’t talk. He believes in allowing his results speak for him,” Fanwo said. He stressed that delivering democracy dividends to the people would continue to remain “on the front burner of the present administration”. “Gov. Bello will not remove his feet from the pedals of governance and in his drive to deliver democracy dividends to the people of the state”.

    Fanwo said the governor had remained “humble in victory”, saying the best way to react to the ‘stupendous victory’ at the primaries was to continue to give his best to the people. According to him, the governor will campaign with the work he has done since taking over the mantle of leadership in the confluence state.

    “GYB is gradually redefining governance and politics. While others talk, he works and his work speaks for him. “The naysayers said he was not popular and he defeated the opposition in the general elections like never before in the political history of our dear state. “The Aug. 29 governorship primaries in the state have again made a resounding attestation to his political credentials. ‘“In victory, he has remained humble.

    He has stretched an olive branch to all contestants in the primaries to join hands with him to deliver victory to the APC on Nov. 16. “As we continue our electioneering, our projects will continue and those completed will be commissioned. ‘“Gov. Bello was elected to serve and he will continue to serve even into his second term in office,’’ he said. The director-general urged the people to remain steadfast in supporting Bello’s administration, assuring that they would never be disappointed.

  • Kogi guber: PDP reacts to emergence of Yahaya Bello as APC candidate

    Kogi guber: PDP reacts to emergence of Yahaya Bello as APC candidate

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said on Monday that with Gov. Yahaya Bello as the APC flag bearer it would easily win the Nov. 16 governorship election in Kogi.

    Mr Bode Ogunmola, the PDP spokesman in the state, made the remark in a statement in Lokoja.

    Ogunmola said the poor performance of the governor in the last three and half years and public resentment against his administration would ensure “a sweat-less victory’’ for PDP.

    “PDP has long been praying for the APC to make mistake of re-presenting Bello for the governorship poll.

    “It is a well known fact that the governor cannot win any local government in Kogi due to his poor performance, and the way and manner the resources of the state is being massively looted.

    “His desperation to return is to save himself from going to prison over looted funds. That was why he had to spend hugely to get strong contenders disqualified.

    “If he succeeds in fooling the leadership of his party and the delegates, we are confident that he cannot fool Kogi electorate who are victims of his monumental misgovernance,’’ Ogunmola said.

    However, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, the Director-General of Media and Publicity of the governor, assured that Bello would continue to concentrate on governance in spite of preparations for the Nov. 16 poll.

    Reacting to the PDP’s statement, Fanwo told newsmen that the governor would not bandy words as he had responded adequately to the PDP in February and March (general elections) with unprecedented defeat.

    “We are even stronger going into the November Governorship election. The governor won’t talk. He believes in allowing his results speak for him,” Fanwo said.

    He stressed that delivering democracy dividends to the people would continue to remain “on the front burner of the present administration”.

    “Gov. Bello will not remove his feet from the pedals of governance and in his drive to deliver democracy dividends to the people of the state”.

    Fanwo said the governor had remained “humble in victory”, saying the best way to react to the ‘stupendous victory’ at the primaries was to continue to give his best to the people.

    According to him, the governor will campaign with the work he has done since taking over the mantle of leadership in the confluence state.

    “GYB is gradually redefining governance and politics. While others talk, he works and his work speaks for him.

    “The naysayers said he was not popular and he defeated the opposition in the general elections like never before in the political history of our dear state.

    “The Aug. 29 governorship primaries in the state have again made a resounding attestation to his political credentials.

    ‘“In victory, he has remained humble. He has stretched an olive branch to all contestants in the primaries to join hands with him to deliver victory to the APC on Nov. 16.

    “As we continue our electioneering, our projects will continue and those completed will be commissioned.

    ‘“Gov. Bello was elected to serve and he will continue to serve even into his second term in office,’’ he said.

    The director-general urged the people to remain steadfast in supporting Bello’s administration, assuring that they would never be disappointed.

  • INEC to commence deployment of materials for Bayelsa, Kogi polls tomorrow

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said non-sensitive materials for the November 16 governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi States will be identified and deployed tomorrow to the states.
    The commission added that sensitive materials, ballot papers and results sheet will be delivered to the Central Bank a month before the election.
    The National Commissioner and Chair, Legal Services, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, said the commission would be administering oath of neutrality on workers as part of measures to ensure loyalty and neutrality. Agbamuche-Mbu added that electoral official indicted in the last elections will be blacklisted.
    She spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at the stakeholders’ round table on preparedness towards the Kogi and Bayelsa States governorship election.
    She said: “In view of the commission’s commitment to conducting credible elections in Nigeria, we have since begun preparations for the coming elections in Bayelsa and Kogi States. All the non-sensitive materials needed for the elections have been identified and will be delivered tomorrow to the respective states.
    “After the party primaries, sensitive materials, ballot papers and results sheet will be produced and customised by their Local Government Areas (LGAs) and subsequently delivered to the Central Bank a month before the election.”
    Agbamuche-Mbu explained that the materials will be retrieved from the CBN the week preceding the election and distributed to the councils.
    She added that the commission will employ ad hoc workers and deploy its original workers in where there is shortage.