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Tag: Yahaya Bello

  • COVID-19: Surrender yourself for test if you are sure of your status – PDP tells Yahaya Bello

    COVID-19: Surrender yourself for test if you are sure of your status – PDP tells Yahaya Bello

    The Kogi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has advised Governor Yahaya Bello to immediately subject himself to the Coronavirus test, having had contact with Abba kyari, the Chief of Staff to President Mohammadu Buhari.

    The PDP in a statement signed by its Director Research and Documentation, Achadu Dickson, said that the fight against the dreaded Covid-19 virus can only be won when stakeholders show responsibility beyond lip service, and urged those who had contact with the CoS to the President to go for test.

    Kyari was one of the top Federal Government officials that graced the three days prayer for the late mother of Governor Bello, Hajia Hawau, last week, in Okene.

    Recall that speculations had gone viral that Bello tested positive with some social media platform saying that he has gone into self-quarantine.

    The governor and his Commissioner for Health, Dr. Saka Haruna, have however debunked the rumour.

    Haruna said the news of Bello testing positive for the virus is incorrect, and called on the public to ignore such.

    The Commissioner had said, “That is incorrect; please ignore such lies.”

     

  • Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello loses mother

    Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello loses mother

    Hajia Hauwau Bello, mother of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, is dead.

    A statement personally signed by the governor and circulated among media houses in Lokoja said that Hajia Hauwau died after a brief illness on Sunday at the age of 101 years.

    “We are relieved that her passing was peaceful and painless,” Bello said in the statement.

    According to him, she will be buried according to Islamic rites on Monday, March 16 at her residence in Nagazi, Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State.

    She is survived by children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and many adopted children.

  • Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello takes oath-of-office for second term today

    KOGI State Governor Yahaya Bello and his deputy Edward Onoja will be sworn in today for a second term in office.

    The inauguration, scheduled to hold at the Lugard House, is to show the low tone disposition of the government, which said it will focus on revenue drive and improvement in the civil service. The program is expected to be low key as the governor is said to be opposed to anything elaborate.

    Bello was sworn in for his first term at the Lokoja Confluence Stadium.

    Only 250 invitation cards are said to have been sent out. Dignitaries expected at the event are some All Progressives Congress (APC) governors and other top politicians.

    Also expected to grace the inauguration is James Faleke, running mate to the late Prince Abubakar Audu in the 2015 governorship election.

    Already, the Government House is wearing a new look with some broadcast outfits setting up their gadgets.

    The governor’s media aide, Kingsley Fanwo, described the event as historic.

    Bello, who defeated Musa Wada in the November 16, 2019 election, hails from Agassa in Okene council, Kogi Central.

  • Double registration: Gov Yahaya Bello to be prosecuted as INEC sacks two officials

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday, said it has not abandoned the criminal case of double registration against the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.

    INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Voters Education and Information Committee, Festus Okoye, said the Kogi governor is currently shielded by the immunity clause which protects him against any form of prosecution.

    He disclosed that the issue of the double registration will be reopened at the expiration of the governor’s immunity at the end of his tenure of office.

    Recall that three INEC staff were indicted in the case of governor’s double registration. At the end of the investigations, two of the officials dismissed, while an Assistant Director among them was suspended.

    According to Okoye, “the case of double registration against the Kogi State governor has not been abandoned but there is nothing the Commission can do now because he is still under immunity. But by the time the immunity expires, the Commission will meet and take a decision on the next line of action.

    “We started with our Staff who were implicated in the double registration first, while we have to wait until the governor ceases to enjoy immunity, which protects him against prosecution”.

    Queried if the governor was indicted by preliminary investigations, Okoye replied that, “there are various stages involved, you have to investigate, prosecute and convict or acquitt, you can not just conclude that one is guilty or innocent without exhausting the entire process. So when we get to that bridge we cross it”.

  • Yahaya Bello condemns attack on Kogi community, orders investigation

    Yahaya Bello condemns attack on Kogi community, orders investigation

    The Governor of Kogi, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has directed the security agencies in the state to fish out perpetrators of Tawari attack for justice.

    In a statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Onogwu Muhammed, in Lokoja on Friday, the governor said the security agencies should swing into action and ensure that those who carried out the dastardly act face the law.

    The governor, who condemned the attack and warned that anyone nursing the ambition of causing crisis in the state would have himself or herself to blamed assured that his administration would do everything possible to protect life and property of the people of the state.

    He, therefore, urged the people to be calm and law-abiding, assuring them that his administration was determined to flush out bandits and criminals out of the state.

    Meanwhile, the Police Command has disclosed that about 28 houses and vehicles were razed by the attackers in Tawari community located in Kogi Local Government Area of the state among other destruction.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the command, Dsp Williams Anya, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview.

    Anya, who also disclosed that some lives were lost during the attack, said the Commissioner of Police, Mr Ede Ayuba Ekpeji had visited the community for on the spot assessment.

    Tawari community which is about 30 minutes drive from Gegu town on Lokoja-Abuja road, Kogi Local Government Area, came under a heavy attack by unknown gunmen on Thursday night.

    He also said that the Commissioner of Police had deployed Special Police Force and Police Tactical Squad, led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, to immediately unravel those behind the heinous act with a view to bringing them to book.

  • Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello loses elder sister

    Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello loses elder sister

    The Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello on Monday lost his eldest sister Hajia Rabiat Bello, following a protracted illness.

    According to a statement released by the governor through his Chief Press Secretary, Muhammed Onogu, Hajia Rabiat Bello died following a protracted illness on Monday.

    The statement further disclosed that a 3-day Fidau prayers for the peaceful repose of late Hajia Rabiat will come up on Thursday, 26th of December 2019 at her residence in Agassa, Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State.

    She died at age 59.

    Read the statement below.

    “With total submission to the Will of Almighty Allah, the family of Alhaji Bello Ipemida Ochi regret to announce the death of their beloved daughter Hajia Rabiat Bello following a protracted illness at age 59.”

    “The sad event took place late hours of Monday 23rd of December, 2019.”

    “We also wish to notify the public that the 3-day Fidau prayers for the peaceful repose of late Hajia Rabiat will come up on Thursday, 26th of December 2019 at her residence in Agassa , Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State,” the announcement said.

  • Kogi: Bello presents 2020 Appropriation Bill of N176.123bn

    Kogi: Bello presents 2020 Appropriation Bill of N176.123bn

    Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi on Wednesday presented an Appropriation Bill of N176.123 billion to the state House of Assembly for approval.

    Bello, represented by his deputy, Chief Edward Onoja said the budget was based on conservative projections.

    The governor said the budget represented an increase of N17.951 billion or 10.19 per cent over the 2019 figure of N158.172billion.

    He said that the budget was made up of N78.969billion recurrent expenditure representing 44.84 per cent and N97.153 billion capital expenditure representing 55 per cent.

    He said that the budget had recurrent revenue of N92.932billion consisting of N21.032 billion Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and N50.428billion Federation Account allocation.

    The governor added that N17.5 billion was expected from Value Added Tax (VAT), N120 million from excess crude account and N100 million from exchange rate differential and N130.8 billion as refund from Federal Government.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that economic sector with N61.907 billion representing 35.1 per cent got the highest sectoral allocation, while administration got the second largest allocation with N57.234 billion representing 32.5 per cent.

    Others were social sector with N49.3 billion, representing 28 per cent; law and justice with N7.6 billion representing 4.3 per cent.

  • Impeachment: Yahaya Bello picks running mate, Onoja as new Deputy Governor

    Impeachment: Yahaya Bello picks running mate, Onoja as new Deputy Governor

    …to be sworn in today

    The running mate to Governor Yahaya Bello in the November 16 governorship election for Kogi State, Edward Onoja, will be sworn in on Saturday as the new Deputy Governor of the state.

    A seven-member Judicial Panel of Enquiry was set up by the State Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajanah, on August 26 to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct leveled against erstwhile deputy governor Simon Achuba.

    Chairman of the panel, Barrister John Baiyeshea, flanked by six other members of the panel, submitted the report to the Speaker, Prince Matthew Kolawole, at plenary.

    Receiving the report, the Speaker, Matthew Kolawole, expressed appreciation to the chief Judge for appointing men of proven integrity as members of the panel.

    Kolawole explained that the task of ensuring good governance required collective efforts of all, and thanked the members for the timely presentation of the report.

    “We shall go into the reports thoroughly, look into the recommendations and do justice to it,” saying that the committee had gone into the annals of history in Nigeria as the first to perform a thorough work devoid of interference.

    In his remarks, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Ahmed Mohammad (APC- Ankpa I), said the exercise followed due process and thanked everyone for being responsive to the development of Kogi.

    The committee which was inaugurated on August 26 with a 90-day duration within which to complete the assignment and submit its report, completed the job in 49 days.

  • Just In: Buhari seeks Senate’s approval to pay Kogi N10bn

    Just In: Buhari seeks Senate’s approval to pay Kogi N10bn

    President Muhammadu Buhari has requested the Senate to approve the payment of N10.069billion as settlement of promissory note to the Kogi State Government.

    President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan read Buhari’s letter of request on the floor of the Senate.

    Details to follow…

  • Kogi poll: Yahaya Bello buying PVCs for N5000 under disguise of loans – PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused Governor Yahaya Bello of purchasing Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from registered voters in Kogi State for N5000 each ahead of the November 16 governorship election.

    The Musa Wada Gubernatorial Campaign Organisation raised the alarm in a statement issued on Saturday by its spokesman, Faruk Adejoh-Audu.

    According to the PDP campaign organisation, agents of the state government have been traversing villages and communities offering registered voters N5000 in exchange for their PVCs.

    Adejoh-Audu stated that the N5000 is being paid to the poor and indigent communities as “loan” in exchange for their PVCs as “collateral”.

    “Right now, we are informed the agents have been unleashed across the state particularly in rural areas to offer the said cash to poor and indigent people willing to submit their PVC as collateral for the scam.

    “These agents are said to be targeting communities with large voter populations across the state and were sighted in many areas of Kogi East Senatorial District to execute the agenda of disenfranchising as many persons as possible. Reports from the other senatorial districts equally indicate a similar ongoing fraudulent scheme.

    “Our findings indicate that this evil con is designed by the outgoing government as one last impetuous chicanery to stop as many people as possible from besieging the polling units on November 16 to massively evict it from the seat of power it has abused and desecrated for close to four years.

    “The PVC stolen from the people using this decoy will be given to rogue elements to use in voting or to compromised ad-hoc electoral staff to use in hiking accreditation figures in polling units with the ultimate aim of writing results”, the campaign organisation stated.

    Calling on the governor and his All Progressives Congress (APC) administration to play by the rules, the PDP campaign organisation vowed to resist any attempt at manipulating and rigging the upcoming election, using every legitimate means available.

    The campaign said it’s regrettable that after almost four years in power, the Bello administration cannot call in any goodwill or favour from the citizens of the state.

    It knocked the state government for allegedly inventing and devising means of swindling the people of their right to determine who governs them.

    The campaign organisation called on the security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately commence investigation into the allegation, describing it as “treasonable crime” against the people.

    “This Campaign organisation hereby demands that the Directorate of State Services (DSS), the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) immediately commence an investigation into this evil plot which is clearly a treasonable crime against the people and the state.

    “We hereby call on the good people of Kogi State, the labour unions, religious organisations, market women, youth groups, students, community associations and all lovers of the liberty of our dear state to immediately alarm the masses of the ongoing scam using Five Thousand Naira (N5,000) as decoy to rob them of their right to vote.

    “People should be enlightened to immediately raise alarm and call in the police or community leaders if anyone approaches them to submit their PVCs for any reasons whatsoever.

    “The task of liberating Kogi State from the grip of hunger, lack of development,an unfocused and cluelessness government, thuggery and violence belongs to all. We must all rise to defeat this desperate scam”.