Governor Yahaya Bello-led administration in Kogi State clocks two years in office today, January 27, 2018.
Having reached the midpoint of its 4 year tenure, I consider an assessment of the government to be appropriate. In doing this, it is proper that I base my assessment primarily on how his (Bello) government has fared in those areas where it made tangible promises to Kogites while shedding crocodile tears during his inauguration at Lokoja township stadium.
Thus, there were major promises made about the provision of security, fight against corruption, job creation and payments of outstanding salaries. These were the things bello promised Kogites.
SECURITY
To ensure the security of lives and property of Kogites, Bello moved boldly to purchase and distributed security equipment to security agencies in the State. He donated 104 patrol vans to security operatives in the State. The major beneficiaries are the Army, Police, Navy and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps. Other beneficiaries include, FRSC, the Nigeria Customs Service and local vigilante groups.
The Kogi State government on September 7, 2016 through Jerry Omodara inaugurated 300-man joint security outfit dedicated to fighting kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and other violent crimes in the state. Under Bello, crime rate has reduced drastically in Kogi State.
VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Bello’s intolerance for opposition and dissenting view is so strong that he orchestrated the arrest of anybody who oppose his leadership style in Kogi State. People who exposed the fraud of Bello have been arrested and detained illegally on trump up charges.
He arrested Usman Okai on Sunday, April 9, 2017. Through DSS, he arrested and detained a civil servant, Mr. Johnson Musa for exposing his Abuja residence on social media. His power drunk chief of staff, Edward Onoja through DSS arrested Mr. Friday Ogungbemi, the publisher of the Policy and Lawmakers (a community based magazine in Kogi State) whose alleged crime was authoring an editorial on the chief of staff to Kogi governor, Edward Onoja “OVERZEALOUS CHIEF OF STAFF ACTS GOVERNOR EXTRAORDINAIRE”. Mr. Friday was detained illegally for seven days and was later charged to court for sedition.
Recall that Austin Okai also spent several weeks in the custody of DSS even after he was granted bail by the court of law.
BACKLOG OF SALARIES
Despite federal government bail out funds and excess Paris refund, Kogi is one of the states with terrible backlog of salaries. Some workers are being owed for 20 months, some half – paid, and some have not been paid at all since Bello assumed office as governor of Kogi State. Pensioners who have labored so much for the state are now beggars in the states due to non payments of their entitlements.
NO LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS
The last local government poll held in the state was conducted by a PDP led government of former Gov. Idris Wada. Since 2016 billions have gone into statutory monthly allocation with no evidence of development in the local governments. The governor (Bello) has failed to conduct council elections and he has been running the 21 local governments in Kogi state with illegal administrators.
JOB CREATION
Under bello the state has recorded zero (0) job creation. It is no longer news that Bello has sacked legitimate workers under the guise that they are ghost workers and forced some into retirements.
CORRUPTION
The governor recently opened a multi-billon naira mansion in his home town in Kogi State amidst cries of hunger and starvation in the state. Tax payer’s money have been spent on decamping ceremonies.
CONCLUSION
Based on the foregoing, it is quite apparent that the current government under the leadership of Yahaya Bello needs to do more if it is to significantly meet its promises to the people. However, Bello coming into leadership of Kogi State at this time of 21st century is a historical and fundamental error and all those who were instrumental to Bello’s emergence as governor of Kogi State should apologize to Kogites for this mistake of choice that has inflicted untold hardship on Kogites.
Under Bello’s watch, Kogi has slipped into failed states category. Governor Bello is a colossal failure.
– Folorunsho Olumide
Yagba West Local Government, Kogi State.
