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Tag: Yahaya Bello

  • Supreme Court announces date to decide if Yahaya Bello continues as Governor

    Supreme Court announces date to decide if Yahaya Bello continues as Governor

    The Supreme Court on Tuesday fixed Aug. 31 to deliver judgment in the appeal brought before it by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Musa Wada and his party.

    Wada and PDP are challenging the re-election of Gov. Yahaya Bello of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the Nov.16, 2019 governorship election.

    The seven man panel of justices of the apex court led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Muhammad on Tuesday fixed the date after parties in the appeal adopted their various written briefs.

    The Kogi Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal had in a concurrent judgments affirmed Yahaya Bello’s re-election on the grounds that Wada and his party failed to prove the allegations of electoral malpractices in their petition.

    Dissatisfied with the two judgments of the lower courts Wada moved to the supreme court for the setting aside of the concurrent judgements of the tribunal and that of the court of appeal.

    He wants the apex court to set aside the judgments of the appellate court on the grounds that the Court of Appeal discarded evidence of rigging and violence in seven local government areas of the state.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Bello, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the governorship poll, having won majority of votes cast and the spread threshold in the election.

    However, four contestants and their parties, including Wada and the PDP, had disagreed with INEC and subsequently approached the Kogi State Election Petitions Tribunal to challenge the victory of Bello.

    The other petitioners are the Actions People’s Party (APP); the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Democratic People’s Party (DPP).

    However, their petitions were all dismissed by the tribunal for lacking in merit.

    Similarly, the Court of Appeal agreed that the cases of the appellants lacked merit and even dismissed some with cost against some appellants.

    The Court of Appeal had in its judgment held that the allegations of over-voting, multiple thumb-printing, and results falsification were not proved by the appellants.

    In the split ruling delivered by Justice Haruna Tsamani, the appellate court held that the appellants merely dumped documents on the tribunal without calling relevant witnesses to link the documents to the allegation of over-voting.

    According to him, a party who alleges over-voting must tender the voter registers for the affected polling units and the results of the polling units, show how, without over-voting, the results would be in his or her favour.

    While the majority judgment delivered by Justice Kashim Kaigama favoured Bello, the minority judgment delivered by Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele held that there was evidence of electoral malpractices in seven LGAs of the state.

    Ovbiagele subsequently upturned Bello’s victory and ordered a rerun in the seven affected local government areas of the state.

  • Just in: Gov Bello heads Ondo APC Primary Election Committee

    Just in: Gov Bello heads Ondo APC Primary Election Committee

    Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello has been appointed to head a nine-man Ondo All Progressives Congress(APC) primary election committee.

    The primary is slated for Monday, July 20.

    The Caretaker/Extra-ordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CEONCPC) of the party also approved Emperor Chris Baywood Ibe to head a nine-man Primary Election Appeal Committee.

    A statement by the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Yekini Nabena, on Thursday in Abuja said the National Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, Governor Mai Mala Buni has approved the constitution of the committees.

    The Governorship Primary Election Committee has Olorogun o’tega Emerhor as Secretary while Alwan Hassan, Chief Samuel Sambo, Hajiya Binta Salihu, Mr. Emma Andy, Dr. Adebayo Adelabu, Abdullahi Aliyu and Mrs. Margret Ngozi Igwe are to serve as members of the committee.

    Arch. Abdulmimuni Okara is to serve as Secretary to the Governorship Primary Election Appeal Committee, while Mr. Festus Fientes, Mr. Okon Owoefiak, Mr. Abba Isah, Alh. Umar Duhu, Hon. Sani El-katuzu, Mrs. Osuere Eunice and Emeka Agaba are appointed as members

    Nabena further said both Committees will be inaugurated by Buni at the party National Secretariat on Friday.

  • Yahaya Bello sacks security aide, appoints new personal assistant

    Yahaya Bello sacks security aide, appoints new personal assistant

    Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has sacked his Senior Special Assistant on Security in charge of Kabba Bunu Local Government Area, Ayo Ariyo.

    The governor, however, immediately replaced Ariyo with Olorunleke Moses, whom, before this announcement was the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Political Matters, Kabba /Ijumu Federal Constituency.

    Moses was also the immediate past administrator of Kabba/Bunu Local Government.

    However, Adeyemi Olabode John is to take over as the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Political Matters, Kabba/Iju.

    The governor also approved the appointments of Mohmoh Abdul Lasisi as Personal Assistant to replace the late Hon. Suleiman Abdulateef Adinoyi.

    The sacking of the aide and the new appointments were announced Thursday night by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Mrs. Folashade Ayoade Arike.

  • Yahaya Bello again: Kogi CJ died natural, not of COVID-19 complications

    Yahaya Bello again: Kogi CJ died natural, not of COVID-19 complications

    Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has again disagreed with the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), this time, over the cause of death of the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajanah.

    Ajanah died on Sunday, at the Gwagwalada COVID-19 isolation centre, from alleged complications arising from novel disease.

    Bello has been having a running battle with the authorities of the NCDC over the presence or otherwise of COVID-19 positive cases recorded in the state, alleging the latter of making up numbers that were neither correct nor emanated from the state.

    Bello who was speaking at the third day prayer for the late Kogi chief law officer, on Tuesday, called on the people of the state not to give in to fear, saying that the COVID-19 remains an importation into the country, and forced on the people.

    He described the COVID-19 as worse than banditry, Boko Haram insurgency and genocide put together, adding that it was artificial, but unfortunately sold to Nigerians.

    He said that the late Justice Ajanah died a natural death, and urged the people not to attribute his death to anything other than natural, ‘as is being insinuated by certain persons for political and mischief purposes.’

    “Do not give in to fear and evil of the issues of COVID-19…. it is a disease that has been imported, propagated and forced on the people for no just cause.

    “Nothing kills faster than fear. I urge you all not to accept cut and paste, as COVID-19. It is only out to create fear, panic, pandemic, orchestrated to reduce and shorten the lifespan of the people.

    “Whether medical experts and scientist believe it or not, COVID-19 is out to shorten the lifespans of the people. It is a disease propagated by force, for Nigerians to accept.”

    Bello described the late Ajanah as a brain, jurist per excellence and a lover of peace, and prayed Allah to grant him Aljanah fidaus.

  • [TNG Analysis] At last, Oshiomhole eats the humble pie as Yahaya Bello predicts doom for PDP

    By Emman Ovuakporie

    The name Adams Oshiomhole rings a bell in Nigeria, the highly energetic former All Progressives Congress, APC chairman finally eats the humble pie pledging an unalloyed loyalty to his party.
    One would have thought that after spitting fire over Governor Godwin Obaseki’s disqualification before an Appeal Court shoved him aside, the strong man of Edo politics in his usual style was ready to unleash his tongue on his party.
    But he chose to humble himself though still unapologetic over his actions goes a long way to show that if given a second chance he would repeat same feat.
    When Oshiomhole was in charge of the APC every other person was beneath him.
    After Obaseki was disqualified he told Nigerians that the NWC has decided and its decision was final.
    But as soon as the governor shifts base to PDP moving his entire cabinet with 14 Assembly members, the fireworks that ensued finally swallowed him.
    As the Edo governorship race draws close, Oshiomhole will move into the battle field with his crown prince Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu without a troop.
    Hanging the toga of a former chairman one doubts whether his ward in Iyamho will not be captured by the PDP.
    Some die-hard loyalists of the former Chairman still strongly believe that he would bounce back stronger than before.
    While those he had stepped on their toes either as chairman or governor simply conclude that his bouncing back will be into oblivion.
    A big lesson for public officers who while in office throw caution to the wind and conclude they will remain in the corridor of government forever.
    Yahaya Bello and his prediction
    Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello is the new spokesperson of the APC as of late he comments on virtually on all issues.
    When Obaseki finally got the nod to run under the massive umbrella of the PDP he declared that like former President Goodluck Jonathan he would lose the guber race in Edo State.
    Bello who is an unrepentant loyalist of sacked chairman of the APC, Oshiomhole was kept quiet by the PDP.
    The last one he dropped on Friday is that the PDP would lose ten states soon though he didn’t specify the treacherous governors.
    One should quickly remind Bello that before the 2019 general elections it was speculated that three governors of the PDP, two in the south east and one in the south south are set to defect to APC.
    Till date none has defected to his troubled APC that is fast transforming into CPC.
    The PDP simply told the youngest governor in Nigeria that his assertion is unfounded that he should rather put developmental structures in his Covid-19 free state.

  • PDP Governors respond to Yahaya Bello’s claim of mass defection to APC

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governors’ Forum, on Saturday debunked the claims made by Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.

    Yahaya Bello, in an interview on a television program on Friday night, said 10 governors elected under the platform of the PDP were set to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The Director-General of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Mr. C.I.D. Maduabum, in a statement issued in Abuja, however, said there was no attraction whatsoever for any PDP member, let alone a governor, to defect to the APC.

    Maduabum described the claim by Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi State as unfounded.

    He said that Bello’s statement did not merit any response, but for the fact that it might demoralize some PDP members and Nigerians who were not aware of the facts.

    Maduabum said it was obvious that the claim was a diversionary tactic to shore up the ruling party’s loss of yet another state governor, Godwin Obaseki of Edo, to the PDP.

    “The PDP Governors, under the leadership of Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, are very focused on delivering good governance and the benefits of democracy to their respective states and working tirelessly to strengthen and reposition the party.

    “There is no attraction whatsoever for any PDP member, not to talk of a PDP governor to join the APC.”
    Maduabum advised Bello to concentrate on providing good governance to the people of Kogi State.

  • Edo 2020: Obaseki will lose like Jonathan lost in 2015 – Yahaya Bello

    Edo 2020: Obaseki will lose like Jonathan lost in 2015 – Yahaya Bello

    Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi said the power of incumbency will not guarantee victory for Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo, who recently defected from All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    Bello stated this when he fielded questions from State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, in Abuja on Monday.

    The meeting, which was presided over by Gambari, was attended by Governors of the North Central zone of the country.

    According to Bello, Nigerians have witnessed incumbent leaders including former President Goodluck Jonathan losing elections.

    ”We have seen those in power before that are dethroned, we have seen practically that President Muhammadu Buhari of APC dethroned PDP, the former President (Goodluck Jonathan) that was on seat.

    “So, that is not any trouble at all. APC is going to win Edo State. But unfortunately, I really felt the leaving of my colleague, His Excellency Governor Godwin Obaseki in whatever circumstance to another political party.

    ”It is painful anyway, but as a political party we are going to take it back,” he added.

    On the agenda of the North Central Governors meeting with Gambari, the governor said that the meeting was to congratulate the Chief of Staff on his appointment.

    Bello said: ”We came to congratulate him over the appointment and that we will continue to collaborate with him as North Central governors.

    ”We will continue to provide necessary data and information that will guide him in the discharge of his duties and responsibilities and to guide Mr President as far as the region is concerned. So basically that is what we came for.”

    Bello, who was recently appointed as the head of a special committee on security set up by Northern Governors Forum, assured that governors across the federation had resolved to tackle all security challenges confronting the country to ensure the safety of lives and property.

    “Security is topmost priority of this administration and we are doing our best to ensure that the nation is secured. As Northern region Governors, we met and decided that we must tackle insecurity head-on.

    “So basically, my committee is to liaise with the various security agencies and security operatives to ensure that the necessary security architecture is put in place and ensure that it is enforced and at the end of the day we get the best-secured region and nation at large,” he said.

    On APC crisis, Bello disclosed that efforts had been intensified to reconcile all aggrieved members of the party.

    He said: “Our party is one solid party. In a particularly big family like that, you won’t rule out any misunderstanding in one way or the other.

    ”But I can assure you that our party is strong under the leadership of President Buhari and as a father, he is already looking into it and I can assure you that we are going to come out very strong.

    ”We are going to go to Edo State and we shall win Edo state election overwhelmingly for APC, we are going to go to Ondo state and win it overwhelmingly for APC.

    ”We will take Anambra State and record it as a second APC state from the South East and integrate our Igbo brothers into the fold and we are going to take Ekiti and Osun once again.

    “So, we are going to continue to expand our coast. So, APC is strong we are not divided, we are only seeing one same point from a different angle and we are trying to make ourselves understand the points, that is just it, there is no misunderstanding.”

  • Kogi Gov, Yahaya Bello loses Personal Assistant

    Kogi Gov, Yahaya Bello loses Personal Assistant

    Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello has lost his Personal Assistant, Suleiman Abdullateef.

    Abdullateef was reported to have died in the early hours of Wednesday following a brief illness. An aide to the Governor confirmed the sad development

    However, there has been no official statement from the Government as at the time of filing in this report.

    Details shortly…

  • BREAKING: Gov. Bello relaxes lockdown in Kabba-Bunu LG, insists Kogi is COVID-19 free

    BREAKING: Gov. Bello relaxes lockdown in Kabba-Bunu LG, insists Kogi is COVID-19 free

    Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi has relaxed the two-week lockdown imposed on Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of the state, barely a week into the exercise.

    He insisted that the state remained COVID-19 free.

    Bello made the disclosure while briefing newsmen at the Government House, Lokoja, on Friday, saying that the decision to relax the lockdown was informed by timely completion of contact-tracing and cooperation of the people.

    The governor said that with relaxation of the lockdown, the state residents would be free to go back to their businesses and live normal lives.

    He said that a medical team led by the state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Saka Haruna Audu, had collected samples from people suspected to have had contact with the alleged COVID-19 victims, adding that the result of their tests returned negative.

    Bello said that samples collected during the lockdown and contact-tracing would be sent to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for further tests to corroborate the result of the medical team which conducted the exercise.

    “We have concluded contact-tracing, carried out extensive tests on the members of the family,and they all came back negative. As far as we are concerned, the state is free from COVID-19,” he said.

    On the state’s COVID-19 index case allegedly discovered by the NCDC, Bello said there was need for the centre to be more professional in handling suspected cases.

    “While we have no reason to doubt the professional competence of the centre, we call for more professionalism in handling the issue of the pandemic,” he said.

    The governor expressed appreciation to security agencies in the state for helping to enforce the lockdown without reports of molestation from the people.

    “I want to place on record the appreciation of the state government to the people of Kabba-Bunu for their cooperation, and security agencies who encourage it without any incident of molestation,” he said.

    He urged the residents of the state to abide by all the protocols laid down by the World Health Organisation and NCDC to protect lives.

  • TNG x-ray: How Kogi Rep’s timely alarm forced Gov Yahaya Bello to impose lockdown in Kabba LG

    TNG x-ray: How Kogi Rep’s timely alarm forced Gov Yahaya Bello to impose lockdown in Kabba LG

    Serving House of Representatives member representing Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency, Hon Tajudeen Yusuf last week averted what could have been a major crisis in the Confluence State.

    Recall that Governor Yahaya Bello had repeatedly told whoever cared to listen that Covid-19 was alien to his state. However, it took the ‘intervention’ of Hon Yusuf for the governor to rescind his statement and finally impose as lockdown in Kabba where a COVID-19 positive case was discovered.

    Without a gun shot or threat, no siren or bodyguard Hon Yusuf woke up on Sunday a holy day for that matter and made it clear to Bello that he should stop playing the ostrich over Covid-19.

    In a ten paragraph statement, Yusuf asked Bello to save Kogites from the scourge of the pandemic.

    Hear him:

    There’s need to tell the Governor to take responsibility and stop the shenanigans as playing the ostrich cannot save Kogi from the pandemic.

    “As we speak Kogi sate Government has not given a grain of rice or any palliative since the beginning of the pandemic .. whatever palliative the people has received came from NASS members , state assembly community development association or private individuals.

    “Even the food items sent from the federal government has not been shared.

    “No single test center and I am sure many would have died of covid 19 without knowing and many would been healed with out knowing.

    The the family of the Chief Imam of Kabba, Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Ejibunu deserve commendation for the timely alert that confirmed the Islamic leader as the index case of COVID-19 in Kogi state.

    Yusuf pointed out that commitment to their religious faiths as well as core values of truthfulness and due consideration for others makes the Chief Imam of Kabba, Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Ejibunu and members of his extended family to stand out as true sons and daughters of Kabba.

    “The people of Kabba, also known as the Okun people of Kogi state feel proud of our Chief Imam and members of his family; what is now left is for the state government to accept the ugly reality of Covid-19 in Kogi state so that the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) and other relevant bodies can swiftly commence efforts to help nip the problem in the bud.

    However, immediately the statement hit the press, the governor’s men came out with various statements condemning the lawmaker.

    The incumbent senator represent Kogi West Senatorial District, Senator Smart Adeyemi also insisted that the Yahaya Bello led government has distributed palliatives across the state.

    Meanwhile, with the unfolding reality, the governor was forced to announced a total lock down of the affected local government.

    No free movement, heavy restrictions worst than Gestapo martial laws to vent his anger on his innocent citizens who had enjoyed unlimited freedom since the word lockdown entered the Nigerian lexicon.

    This is just as the Federal Government has started further easing the lockdown at the FCT and Lagos.

    Bello who once rained curses on Nigerians who asked him to go for test because he hugged the Late Chief of Staff to the President Abba Kyari

    He sent NCDC men out of Kogi claiming that there was no pandemic in his state but swallowed his vomit when Yusuf a former leader of National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS and now a serving.member of the Green Chamber coughed.