The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Alhaji Yahaya Bello

  • Pro-Melaye rally: Bello orders investigation as four dies, several injured

    Pro-Melaye rally: Bello orders investigation as four dies, several injured

    Four people, including a student of the Kogi State Polytechnic, Saka Saidu, were on Monday confirmed dead in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, following clashes between supporters of Senator Dino Malaye (APC-Kogi West) and loyalists of the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

    The incident which occurred at the end of a rally organised by the lawmaker against his planned recall from the National Assembly, turned violent when some unknown gunmen infiltrated the venue, shooting indiscriminately.

    Melaye, who had boasted that no one can recall him from the National Assembly, called on the state government to pay civil servants their salaries and to reopen tertiary institutions in the state.

    Pandemonium, however, set in at the rally which took place close to the main gate of the Kogi State Polytechnic, when suspected political thugs opened fire on Melaye as he alighted from the roof of his SUV.

    The lawmaker escaped by whiskers, as his security details quickly guided him into the vehicle, leaving behind raging exchange of fire.

    The incident which took place in Felele, along the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja highway led to a gridlock, as people abandoned the vehicles in which they were travelling.

    Melaye, however, said that three people were killed and several others were injured by those he described as agents of the government.

    While the lawmaker escaped unhurt, not so the others, including a security personnel who sustained gunshot injuries.

    Melaye said two of the State Security Service (SSS) attached to him were shot by the gunmen.

    He alleged that the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Commodore Jerry Omodara (retd.), the Senior Special Assistant on Political Matters, Mallam Abdul Dolla and the Special Adviser on Multilateral, Mr. Adoga were present at the scene during the attack.

    The Rector of the state Polytechnic, Mohammed confirmed that a student was by bullet shots, while a security personnel from the institution who was also shot, survived.

    Governor Yahaya Bello who later visited the scene of the incident at about 3.15pm expressed shock at the development and ordered an immediate investigation.

    He, however, claimed that only one person lost his life.

    Armed security personnel were later drafted to the polytechnic to forestall breakdown of law and order.

    Melaye had earlier given the state government a 30-day ultimatum to pay workers’ salary and reopen tertiary institutions in the state or he would lead a peaceful protest to force the hand of the government.

    The CP, Mr. Wilson Inalegwu, who later addressed journalists, said that the rally was not authorised.

  • Move to recall me will fail, says Melaye

    Move to recall me will fail, says Melaye

    Sen. Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi) has said that the ongoing move by the electorate in his constituency to recall him from the Senate will fail.

    Melaye, who is representing the Kogi West Senatorial District in the Senate, made the statement in Kabba, Kogi, on Sunday when he addressed his supporters.

    He said his achievements in the Senate were enormous and as such the people of the constituency were solidly behind him.

    Melaye, who later led his supporters on a peaceful march around Kabba town, alleged that the state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, was behind the move to recall him,

    The electorate in the seven local government areas that make up Kogi West Senatorial District on Saturday besieged polling units in the area to endorse the request for the recall of the senator.

    They affixed the photocopy of their permanent voter cards to the recall form.

    Melaye alleged that 30 supporters of his who refused to be part of the move were arrested on the order of the governor.

    “Quote me, Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has released N200 million for each of the seven local government areas in my senatorial district to facilitate my recall from the Senate,” Melaye alleged.

    In his reaction, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Petra Akinti-Onyegbule, described Melaye’s allegation as unfounded.

    The governor and the senator have been at loggerheads in recent times.

  • Kogi workers receive salary

    Kogi workers receive salary

    The Kogi government said it has completed payment of salary to 95 per cent of of its workers that were cleared in the just concluded staff screening and verification.

    The state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, made the assertion on Monday in Lokoja in a statement issued to mark this year’s democracy day celebration.

    “I can confirm that people are still getting payment alerts as we do our best to meet the May 31 timeline which we set for ourselves to complete all payments,” the governor said.

    Bello said that government was deploying integrated staff and payroll automation solutions to consolidate the gains from the screening in line with the ongoing civil service and pension reforms.

    With the conclusion of the exercise, he assured workers and pensioners of prompt payment of salary and pensions.

    According to Bello, the government has been able to tame the widespread insecurity of lives and property which it inherited.

    “Today, the incidence of kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes has dropped to almost zero,” the governor said in the statement personally signed by him.

    He said that the state internally generated revenue had increased from between N350m and N400m per month to over N1 billion per month.

    The governor said that more than 1000 appointments had been made in the Ministries of Environment, Justice and the Revenue Board in the past 15 months while advert had been placed for massive recruitment into the health sector.

    Bello said plans were nearing completion for the construction of 239 blocks of two Classrooms, one in each of the 239 wards in the state under the GYB Model Primary School Initiative.

    He also announced that students in tertiary institutions will henceforth receive N10, 000 as bursary as against former N3, 500.

    He thanked the people for their support for his administration since assumption of office 15 months ago, saying that government will continue to cater for their welfare through provision of more democracy dividends.

    Bello also advised those in opposition to embrace peace and join hands with him to work for the progress and development of the state.

     

  • Assassination unknown to Kogi – Sen. Melaye

    Assassination unknown to Kogi – Sen. Melaye

    • We’ll not join issue with him, replies govt

    The Chairman Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory, Senator Dino Melaye has expressed shock over the assassination attempt.

    He described the situation as highly disturbing and very strange to the socio-political culture of the people of Kogi West.

    This was contained in a press statement he issued on Tuesday, a copy was made available in Lokoja.

    He declared that no matter what, he will continue to champion democratic courses targeted at good governance, masses empowerment and the rule of law.

    “No amount of threat, blackmail or harassment will stop me from being the voice of the voiceless and the mouthpiece of the common man,” he said.

    He also expressed outrage and disbelief that four days after the attempt on his life, the Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has not deemed it for to visit to know the state of affairs with him as a serving senator from the state.

    “The governor’s deafening silence speaks volumes. In the history of Kogi West, various political gladiators have at various times had their differences, but none had ever been escalated to the level of differences, but none had ever been escalated to the level of differences but none had ever been escalated to the level of the attempt on life.

    “Chief Awoniyi and Chief Daniyan (both of blessed memory) had their strong differences. Senator Dino Melaye and Prince Olusola Akanmode also had their differences.

    “Arc. Stephen Olorunfemi and Prince Olusola Akanmode and Tunde Ogbeha, also had their differences. Senator Dino Melaye and Senator Smart Adeyemi had their serious political differences, none of these differences was ever escalated to the horrendous level of an the assassination attempt

    “The recent incident is alien to Okun people and to Kogi West. The advent of Yahaya Bello as governor and Taofiq Isa as a local government administrator in the political firmament of Kogi State has brought this unfortunate socio-political paradigm shift,” he lamented.

    Melaye, therefore, called on Kogi elders, traditional rulers and opinion leaders to call for order and restraint, even as he promised never to relent in his fight against corruption, maladministration, impunity and nepotism.on Kogi elders, traditional rulers and opinion leaders to call for order and restraint, even as he promised never to relent in his fight against corruption, maladministration, impunity and nepotism.

    He added: “It may be Dino Melaye today, we don’t know who is next. The agitation for good governance, payment of worker’s salaries and welfare of pensioners should not be punished with assassination”.

    The state governor has, however, said that he will not want to join issues with Senator Melaye.

    The governor who spoke through his Director General on Media and Publicity, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo, in a reaction, said Senator Dino Melaye ad an adult was in the best position to explain the path he has chosen to tread.

    He said, “If he accused me of complacency in the so-called assassination attempt, those who have been following the trend from the day his group promised to make Kogi ungovernable will not be surprised.

    “The case is under investigation by the police, and making serious statements about it may be seen to be subjudice. We have been witnessing imaginary attacks in the state and when I travelled to Kogi East, his antagonists also alleged I was attacked, even when the opposite was the case.

    “As a government, we believe the Nigeria Police is capable of getting to the root of the allegations and do justice to it once and for all.

    “I’m redefining leadership in Kogi State, therefore, the plan of, one day one trouble, will not work. We are in the news for the roads we are constructing, the agriculture we are reforming, the healthcare we are making affordable and the walls of insecurity we are pulling down. We have departed from their own ways.

    “You people need to ask Senator Dino Melaye if he reported the incident to the governor who is the Chief Security Officer of the state. If you didn’t tell him anything, he too will have nothing to say. The reports of the security agencies will surely untie the riddles surrounding the allegations.

    “Security should never be politicised in our state. We will not be distracted. We know the plans, but if they know Governor Yahaya Bello, they would know he is too focused to be distracted, too courageous to be intimidated.

    “We are waiting for the reports of the investigation after which we shall be properly guided to make informed comments. Nigerians know what is happening”.

  • Bello demolishes suspected kidnappers’ hideouts

    Bello demolishes suspected kidnappers’ hideouts

    Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello Wednesday stormed Okene in the Central Senatorial district of the state, demolishing buildings used by suspected kidnappers, terrorists and armed robbers in perpetrating their crimes.

    Accompanied by the state commissioner of police, Mr. Wilson Inalegwu and other security chiefs in the state, the governor ordered the pulling down of two structures, with more buildings earmarked to go.

    The building of a suspected kidnap kingpin, Alhaji Tijanni Bakare was the first to be pulled down at Oyunkoko ward in Okene LG.

    The enforcement team also demolished the Ahlul-Sunnah Mosque in Inike, which was reportedly hijacked in 2015 by members of the Boko Haram terrorist group and suspected to be serving as operational base for their nefarious activities.

    Speaking at the demolition exercise, Governor Bello vowed to implement the Anti-kidnapping, Robbery and Terrorism law in the state to the letter.

    He warned those that are in the habit of harbouring criminals to repent or have their structures pulled down forthwith.

    CP Inalegwu said it would no longer be business as usual for criminals operating in any part of the state.

    “This is a strong message to kidnappers and hoodlums that they must change their ways. They should work hard and earn a decent living.

    “We want to make Kogi safe so that anyone living here or travelling through Kogi will not have fear of being kidnapped”, he said.

  • Bello signs N174.8bn budget into law

    Bello signs N174.8bn budget into law

    Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello Wednesday signed into law the 2017 appropriation bill as passed by the state house of assembly.

    Tagged “Budget of New Direction”, the N174.8billion fiscal plan is higher than that of last year by over N75billion.

    Estimated recurrent revenue stands at N81.6billion, while the expected capital component is N93.1billion.

    The summary of the recurrent expenditure shows that salaries and allowances are expected to gulp N32.7billion with overhead cost of N25.7billion.

    While signing the budget into law, the governor urged the people in the state to pay their taxes as the appropriation does not translate into cash.

     

    He explained that the planning and appropriation will be thoroughly adhered to and implementation enforced to attain 99 percent success.

    He stated that  the construction of the Kogi Revenue House was to  invigorate rapid and aggressive revenue drive that could finance the budget .

    He therefore appealed to the people to cooperate with the government to achieve success, as the new budget is a reflection of their wishes and desires.

    The governor expressed gratitude to the leadership and members of the house of assembly for their unity of purpose in ensuring speedy development of the state.

  • Driver killed by unidentified soldier at Kogi-Abuja boundary

    There was a gridlock Friday along the Abuja-Lokoja highway following the killing of an articulated vehicle driver by an unidentified soldier.

    Vehicles coming from the north states and others heading to the south were held for almost five hours as a result of the accident as trailer drivers blocked the boundary road between Kogi and Abuja, in protest.

    Eyewitness account had it that the incident occurred before the Jamata bridge in Koton-Karfi local government, when a trailer conveying cows from the Abuja axis was stopped by the solders at the check point.

    Source further said that an argument between one of the soldiers and the driver resulted into fracas.

    The eyewitnesses said one of the solder shot at the driver, killing him instantly.

    The military men it was gathered evacuated the checkpoint with their vehicle and escaped to avoid attack by the drivers who later barricaded the road with their trailers.

    Meanwhile the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has described the incident as unfortunate.

    This was contained in press statement issued by the Director General, Media and Publicity to the Governor, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo.

    It reads: “The unfortunate incident is being investigated by the relevant authorities. Let us all wait for the report of the investigations. But one thing is clear: The Kogi State Government will ensure protection of lives and property as every life is important.

    “We urge the people of the area to remain calm and not take the laws into their hands as government will get to the root of the matter.

    “Governor Yahaya Bello is committed to protecting the lives and property of all Kogites and commuters passing through the State”.

    The governor urged residents of Koton-karfe to refrain from jungle justice “as government has enough machinery for investigations and justice dispensation”.

  • Kogi commissioner resigns

    The Kogi State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Tim Diche, has resigned his appointment.

    The Director-General, Media and Publicity to the state governor, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, confirmed the resignation of Diche to newsmen in Lokoja on Wednesday.

    Fanwo, in a statement circulated among media houses, said that Diche resigned on personal grounds.

    Diche, a Pharmacist by profession, resigned his appointment on Tuesday after serving in that capacity for seven months.

    He and the incumbent governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello participated in the All Progressives Congress’ governorship primaries conducted in August 2015. ( NAN)

  • Bello reiterates commitment to fight corruption

    Bello reiterates commitment to fight corruption

    Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has reiterated the commitment of his administration to make anti-corruption a “governance culture” in the state.

    The governor who stated this in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Petra Akinti Onyegbule, said that his administration will enthrone a systemic decimation of corruption in the state.

    Bello carpeted corrupt leaders as “anti-people and anti-development”, calling on the people of the state to key into the anti-corruption drive of his administration.

    He stated: “We are prepared to lead by example. Our government is putting in place institutional framework that will make corruption a sociological leprosy. We have given government officials our blueprint as our social contract with the people of Kogi State.

    “An indispensable pillar of our New Direction Agenda is good governance. Good governance is about synergy between our government and our people to do things right and govern with probity, accountability and transparency. We must always strive to achieve development.

    “My administration will not only fight corruption in the system, but also in the minds of the citizens, in the minds of school children. I have directed the ministry of education to ensure we have anti-corruption clubs in our schools.

    “Corruption is a thing of the mind. We must change our orientation against ill-gotten wealth. Our society must stop honouring those who steal monies meant for road construction, drugs in our public health institutions and quality education in our schools”.

    He warned public office holders to refrain from yielding to the temptation of corruption, saying his administration will not only expose corrupt officials, but also ensure that they are prosecuted.

    He said it has become necessary to probe into why contracts failed in the state, saying any contractor who had been paid must return to site to complete their jobs.

  • Kogi: ‘How can supreme court do this to Nigeria & democracy?’

    The judgment of the Supreme Court determining the governorship tussle involving Captain Idris Wada, Hon. James Faleke and Alhaji Yahaya Bello was surprising to say the least.

    In the judgment given on September 20, 2016, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeals of Wada and Faleke and affirmed Bello as Governor of Kogi State.

    To my mind, this judgment – along with the judgments of the Court of Appeal and the Election Petition Tribunal – is bizarre and not in keeping with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

    One is hard pressed to avoid the conclusion that in reaching its decision the Supreme Court relied on manufactured technicalities that did damage to the letter and the spirit of our laws.

    The judgment contradicts the previous judgment of apex court in CPC v Ombugadu (2013) 18 NWLR (1385) 16; Gbileve v Addingi (2014) 16 NWLR (1433) 56; Eligwe v Okpokiri (2015) 2 NWLR (1443) 348; Jev v Iyortom (2015) 15 NWLR (1483) 484 where the provisions of Section 141 of the Electoral Act was applied to the effect that a candidate cannot be declared the winner of an election in which he did not participate in all stages of the election.

    In deciding in favour of Bello, the Supreme Court basically nullified the provisions of Section 141 of the Electoral Act and reversed itself per the judgments given in the above cited cases. The Supreme Court has basically returned to its holding in Amaechi v Omehia, which is what Section 141 was enacted to prevent.

    In deciding in favour of Bello, the Supreme Court has basically violated the principle of Separation of Powers and usurped the role of the legislature.

    It is public knowledge that Faleke wrote letters to his party withdrawing as a deputy governor candidate to Yahaya Bello. Upon the refusal of his party to write to INEC informing them of Faleke’s withdrawal, he did so directly by writing to INEC informing them of his decision to withdraw as a deputy governorship candidate to Bello.

    In reaching its decision, the Supreme Court (and indeed the lower courts) completely ignored these facts. Instead, it surprisingly held that Faleke’s withdrawal was unknown to law.

    This assertion basically allows the APC to enjoy the benefits of its wrong doing. How is this legal? How is this equitable?

    Again, one is hard pressed to avoid the conclusion that the Supreme Court deliberately disregarded the fact of Bello’s withdrawal to enable it reach a pre-determined conclusion. It does not seem legal or equitable, that a Court can acknowledge the wrong-doing of a party yet allow the party to benefit from such wrong-doing.

    While we wait for the Supreme Court to give reasons for its decision, we can only accept the reality of 3 more years on tepid, uninspiring leadership from Yahaya Bello in Kogi State.

    Under Yahaya Bello’s leadership, Kogi State is racking up debts in billions of Naira with no commensurate infrastructural or developmental gains to show for it. Despite collecting billions of Naira worth of bailout funds, the state still owes several months’ salaries. As it stands, Yahaya Bello is currently leading Nigeria down a path of indebtedness and financial ruin as similar to Osun.

    God bless Kogi State.

    Deji Adeyanju