The Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has been told to immediately declare his asset in line with his promise of modeling his administration after that of President Mohammadu Buhari.
Bello had during his inauguration on Wednesday at the Confluence Stadium in Lokoja pledged to maintain zero-tolerance for corruption.
Mr. Idris Miliki Abdul, the Executive Director, Centre for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR) Lokoja, in a statement issued Thursday in Lokoja called on Bello to stay true to his promise to stamp out corruption in the state by first declaring his asset
publicly.
He also called on the governor to probe his predecessor, who he described as the worst governor that the state ever had.
He stated that Kogi being replete with uncompleted projects, it will be in the interest of the people of the state for the new governor to setup a judicial panel of enquiry to investigate the last administration.
His words: “In his acceptance speech during his inauguration, it was clearly stated that he would not tolerate corruption, the cankerworm that is currently ravaging the nation and Kogi State in particular.
“Furthermore, he promised to build his administration around the same principle he shared with the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhamadu Buhari in his effort to stamp out corruption in Nigeria. It is noted that the president and his vice have declared their assets publicly.
“As a young governor of a state like Kogi, it will enhance confidence, credibility and above all trust from the people of Kogi State and Nigeria if the new governor can declare his asset that we make us to know his worth in both materials and resources. We therefore call on him to declare his asset without further delay.
“Since 2003 when Alhaji Ibrahim Idris took over the mantle of leadership as a governor of the state and the immediate past rejected administration led by Capt. Idris Wada, the worst governor in the history of the state, the state has been characterized with uncompleted projects and inflated contracts, huge and fake wage bills and huge debts of imaginable proportion, it will be in the interest of the people of Kogi State for the new governor to set up a judicial panel of inquiry with people of proven integrity to ascertain the level of indebtedness in the state, both internal and external. To investigate the actual amount paid to contractors as it affects various abandoned and on-going projects in the state.”
Credit: The Nation
