Members of the National Assembly from Kogi State, on Tuesday, paid a courtesy visit to Governor Yahaya Bello to congratulate him on the peaceful and credible conduct of the November 11 governorship election.
The lawmakers, comprising senators and members of the House of Representatives, seized the opportunity to congratulate the Governor on what they described as the resounding victory of the All Progressives Congress and the emergence of Usman Ododo as Governor-elect of Kogi State.
According to them, the November election was adjudged peaceful, credible, free and fair by local and international observers.
Speaking on behalf of the lawmakers, Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho, representing Kogi East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, commended Governor Bello for his sterling leadership, which paved the way for the resounding victory, while pledging unalloyed loyalty of the National Assembly members to the Governor and Governor-elect.
Senator Sunday Karimi applauded the governor’s ingenuity and called for magnanimity in putting the election’s challenges behind with a view to expanding the APC’s space in Kogi State.
In his remarks, the Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Ibrahim Abdullahi Halims, commended Governor Bello’s wisdom and exemplary leadership, assuring the Governor of efforts to unite APC members in his constituency and the entire Kogi East senatorial district.
In their separate remarks, Hon AbdulRahim Danga, representing Okehi/Adavi Federal Constituency on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Arc Salman Idris of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), representing Kabba/Ijumu Federal Constituency, commended Governor Bello’s fairness and democratic approach during the conduct of their elections.
The duo eulogised the governor for what they termed as his large heart, political sagacity and understanding, describing him as a fair player in the field of politics.
They said the governor had everything to truncate their chances of emerging victorious in the election that produced them as witnessed in other states but that, as a democrat, he allowed the electioneering processes to go smoothly without intimidating opponents of his political party.
Governor Bello, who welcomed the lawmakers warmly, commended their contributions to the victory of the November 11 governorship election in Kogi State.
He emphasised the importance of being genuine, truthful, and committed, while urging them to do more in delivering the best to their respective constituencies as they had been doing.
In a New Year message, he expressed gratitude to them for their roles in the election, advising them to work collaboratively for the advancement of the Nigerian legislature, particularly for the benefit of their constituents.
Acknowledging the forthcoming leadership transition on January 27, Governor Bello called on the lawmakers to support the Governor-elect, Usman Ododo, in consolidating and continuing the positive trajectory set by his administration.
Furthermore, Governor Bello advised members to move past election-related conflicts and focus on positive lessons learned, while emphasising the importance of unity and collaboration in ensuring the success of the All Progressives Congress in Kogi State.
In his response, the Governor-elect, Usman Ododo, noted the place of Governor Bello’s leadership style in fostering unity across the state without ethnic or political bias.
He recounted the governor’s dedicated efforts in supporting National Assembly members during party primaries, general elections, and post-election legal challenges and appreciated his selfless commitment to placing individuals in key positions and ensuring a peaceful and secure Kogi State.
