The particular incident that vested governmental mandate on Yahaya Bello as governor of Kogi State without even casting a vote for himself was described as “miraculous” by Nigerians. His emergence was attributed to being great and rare for many reasons: It was the first time a governor will emerge in Kogi state without being on the ballot, the first time an aspirant will die before being declared winner, and also the first time a minority tribe will emerge as governor.
Unfortunately, the chief beneficiary, Yahaya Bello is not living up to the expectations of youths in Nigeria. Anyone who knows Bello knows that he is anything but a dictator, wicked and callous man. His style of leadership in Kogi state buttresses these points.
Consider the fact that the albatross of his lavish spending, the embezzlement and mismanagement of Kogi State bail out fund was a unilateral decision against the wishes of the state Civil servants. Over 11 billion Paris club excess refund went down the drain, wasting of state funds and resources on roads flag off just to make headlines and front pages of Newspapers. Governor Bello cannot explain how he spent 30 billion bail out fund even when he has not paid Civil servants and pensioners for over 13 months.
Under Bello, crime and insecurity has also continued to increase, residents of the state live in perpetual fear everyday of their lives, not knowing when or where the next attack will be. Armed robbery, kidnapping, has become a bane in our daily lives.
His intolerance for opposition and dissenting views is so strong that he orchestrated the arrests of anyone who oppose his style of leadership. Recall that he arrested the Publisher of Policy and Lawmakers Magazine, a community- based newspaper in Kogi State, Mr. Friday Ogungbemi, last year December.
He has reduced the legislative arm of government to nothing, thereby serving as the sole authority and dictator in chief of the government of Kogi State. No wonder a pensioner in the state liken him to Joseph Stalin of old Russia.
The members of the APC in Kogi State can attest to his aversion for opposition politics. He has completely shut the people who worked for the victory of the party out. It is therefore baffling that a man with such characteristics would today proclaim himself as a “digital governor”. Has he forgotten, he is yet to conclude the staff verification exercise? Has he forgotten he has not paid Civil servants and pensioners for 13 months? Has he forgotten all the state tertiary institutions and secondary schools are on strike? What is digital about a man who doesn’t know tourism and entertainment are synonymous thereby appointing two SSAs. Where and how is he a digital governor? Bello need healing and prayers to enable him manage his poor political fortune as no matter what he does, the curtains have closed on him and it will be the first and last time he will ever taste governance in Kogi state.
The people of KOGI state has not forgotten the role Oyegun, Dino and others played by imposing Bello on us. One good turn they say deserves another.
– Folorunsho Olumide
Yagba west local government, Kogi State.
