Governor Yahaya Bello has been described as a focused leader who cannot be cowed by the media war against him by opponents who are bent on subverting the state’s march to greatness.
This was disclosed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Kingsley Fanwo during a chat with media practitioners in Lokoja. He said the Governor is “bigger and far more sophisticated than the pedestrian allegations against his person and the Government of Kogi State.
According to the CPS, the allegation against the Governor that he donated #70,000,000 at a book launch organized by the first lady, smacks of “laughable political desperation to brazenly slaughter truth”.
“The book launch was organized by the nation’s First Lady to garner support for the families of the abducted Chibok girls which was attended by Governor Yahaya Bello to lend support to the traumatized families of the girls. As a political leader and a parent, Governor Bello is touched by the plight of the girls and their families, hence the will to identify with the project.
“The book launch was televised to the whole world and no one announced what anyone donated. Governor Yahaya Bello did not donate 70,000,000 naira as insinuated by the people who are turning opposition politics to a comical adventure”.
Fanwo said the Governor has not approached any bank for loan, saying the Zenith Bank loan story was aimed at distracting the Governor from his laudable programs in the state.
“The spurious allegation that the Governor has applied for loan at Zenith Bank has further exposed our opponents as people who lack the basic knowledge of public accounting. Their macabre dance on the grave of ignorance has justified people’s believe that our opponents are characters are people who lack the rudiments of governance. The Governor didn’t apply for loans.
“We urge our opponents to always dwell on facts when playing their games and stop toying with the intelligence of the Kogi people. Governor Yahaya Bello paid two salaries within his first fifty-seven days in office as against the four months owed by his immediate predecessor”.
The CPS said the alleged vote of no confidence by a section of the party leadership was unfortunate. He said the Governor has been fair in his appointment, insisting that the Governor will continue to work with the party leadership to actualize the change agenda of the APC.
“It is not true that the Governor made 45 political appointments. Some appointments are purely professional and only people who are competent in those fields are capable of discharging such roles effectively.
“Majority of those appointed are APC while many others are not politicians but technocrats who can drive the New Direction agenda of the present administration. The Governor deserves commendation for assembling a team that is already delivering great services to the people of the state.
“The Yahaya Bello administration has relegated mediocrity to the back seat. We need to drive Kogi to work and for her to work, round pegs must be in round holes without prejudice to fairness and equity”.
Fanwo urged the All Progressives Congress to continue to appreciate the good image the Governor is giving the party in the state. He said no living politician has contributed to the success of the party in the state as Alhaji Yahaya Bello even before he became Governor.
“The Kogi Youths Arise Group was one of the vehicles used by the All Progressives Congress to root out the PDP from the state in 2015. The Group was formed and solely funded by the Governor. The Governor sponsored many APC candidates in the election with his resources despite not having occupied any political position before that time.
“By the time the staff verification exercise is over, Governor Yahaya Bello would have recorded another landslide achievement in saving the resources of Kogi State for the benefit of the Kogi people. He won’t be distracted. Opponents should give up their antics and join the train of change”.
He said Governor Yahaya Bello has no association with the PDP since his belief in the ideology of the APC is “unwaveringly unimpeachable”, urging the people of the state to discountenance the allegations as baseless, untrue and unfortunate”.
The CPS said the Governor is prepared to keep working with the structures of the party to properly structure the policies of government with party manifesto. He said the policies of the Governor so far are in tandem with the manifesto of the party to enthrone development and defeat corruption in all sectors of the economy.
“The Governor is a party man. That accounted for why he refused to defect to another party when came second in the governorship primaries. He has continued to reiterate his determination to integrate his New Direction agenda with the manifesto of the APC. In doing this, the Governor has been working with party leaders to actualize his dreams of a better and more prosperous Kogi State.
“As a party, the APC also need to play its part and ostracize the ghosts of division. We expect the party to have highlighted the Governor’s strides since assuming office such as industrial harmony, efforts at restoring integrity to the civil service and the massive construction work going on across the state.
“With the new administration’s efforts in the education sector, Kogi State students are excelling and making waves in national and international competitions. Also, a number of high profile foreign investments are expected to kick off in the state soon such as the $363m for the establishment of a comprehensive farm and downstream industrial park in the state. This is the story of the new Kogi State under the leadership of Alhaji Yahaya Bello”.
Mr. Fanwo said it is “shocking to accuse the Governor for the failure of the party in the Senatorial and House of Representatives re-run elections in the state, when the whole world knew that party candidates were barred by competent courts of jurisdiction from participating in the re-run owing to the mismanagement of party primaries leading to the 2015 general elections”.
