The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Alhaji Yahaya Bello

  • Wada rejects tribunal verdict, heads for Appeal Court

    Wada rejects tribunal verdict, heads for Appeal Court

    The immediate past governor of Kogi State, Capt. Idris Wada (PDP) has rejected the verdict of the governorship election petition tribunal which on Monday dismissed his petition challenging the emergence of Alhaji Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the state governor.

    Wada who spoke through a special adviser, Jacob Edi, said he would appeal the tribunal ruling.

    He said that as a believer in the country’s judicial, he will challenge the decision at the appellate court.

    He stated: “We believe in the judiciary and we still have confidence in the judiciary of the country. Since the law of the land provides that we can still move ahead to a higher court, we will utilise the opportunities available to us.

    “We know that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man, so we are definitely going to file our appeal and we are confident of getting judgment.”

  • Bello in unscheduled visit to ministry, discovers fraud

    Bello in unscheduled visit to ministry, discovers fraud

    Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, on Thursday paid an unscheduled visit to some ministries in the state, with “multi-billion naira fraud discovered in the ministry of commerce and industry.

    A government source privy to the visit told reporters that the sleaze was in connection in the Kogi State/CBN MSME which was allegedly diverted by some top directors in the ministry.

    He said that the governor was astounded by the discovery.

    He added: “The governor immediately directed the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry to turn in a comprehensive report on the fund.

    “He also asked the ministry to collaborate with the Office of the Accountant General of the state for thorough investigation.

    “Alhaji Yahaya Bello promised to get to the roots of the fraud, assuring that he was ready to prosecute anyone found wanting in the MSMEgate.

    “He reiterated the determination of his administration to root out corruption from the civil service, saying his administration will not spare anyone who has constituted himself or herself to a drain pipe in the state”.

    Tension has enveloped the air in the ministries even as the Head of Service in the state, Mr. Moses Atakpa has been sent on a 30-day compulsory leave.

     

  • No plan to impeach Gov. Bello – Kogi PDP lawmakers

    No plan to impeach Gov. Bello – Kogi PDP lawmakers

    The members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Kogi State House of Assembly said they had no agenda to impeach the Governor of the state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

    The Majority Leader of the House, Mr Matthew Kolawole, said this during interview with newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday.

    Kolawole said the concern of the members was to resolve the leadership crisis rocking the state assembly.

    “The state governor is just like new born baby without sin. For what reason will anybody want to kill the baby.

    “To me, the governor has not done anything wrong to us and none of us here is talking about impeachment of the governor at all,” he said.

    Kolawole said it was baseless to say Mr. James Faleke, the running mate to the late Prince Abubakar Audu in the Nov. 21 was sponsoring the crisis rocking the House.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), recalls that Audu, who contested the election on the platform of APC, died on Nov.22 before the result of the election was announced.

    “If anybody is saying that Faleke is sponsoring us, he is misleading the public.

    Faleke is not part of this struggle.

    “The struggle we have today is that we want to stabilise Kogi State House of Assembly as an independent arm of government,” he said.

    On outcome of members’ meeting with the National Chairman of PDP, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, he said they agreed with the party’s directive that the status quo should remain.

    “We have passed another vote of confidence on the leadership of the House under Speaker Momoh Jimoh-Lawal and all of us have signed.”

    He added that Mr John Aba, one of the five members who had the intention to impeach Jimoh-Lawal was also present at the meeting.

    He, however, said that Aba was yet to sign the resolution of the meeting adding that he stepped out after the meeting.

    “So far so good, eleven of us here have signed. We are waiting for him to come back because the party has directed that we sign and he agreed.”

    The majority leader said that maintaining status quo under the leadership of Jimoh-Lawal was temporary in order to resolve the crisis on ground.

    He was optimistic that the House could not be rubber-stamped for allowing the Speaker and governor to come from the same zone of the state pending the time a new speaker would be elected.

    According to Kolawole, even if Jimoh-Lawal resigns, the onus lies on the House to unanimously agree on the new speaker that will pilot the affairs of the House.

  • Kogi lawmakers seek Dogara’s intervention

    Kogi lawmakers seek Dogara’s intervention

    Kogi lawmakers have appealed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara to intervene in the political crisis rocking the Kogi State House of Assembly.

    The impeached Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Momoh Lawal and 14 members of the House made the appeal Wednesday in a petition to Dogara, where they called for an investigation into the impeachment of a Speaker by five lawmakers.

    The lawmakers alleged that their signatures were forged to execute the impeachment plan.

    Five lawmakers had announced the removal of the principal officers of the House while announcing Umar Imam as the New Speaker on 16th February 2016.

    The petition reads: “In furtherance of their act of impunity, illegality and desperation, the purported Speaker was sworn in the office of the Deputy governor contrary to the extant provisions of the House rules and in flagrant abuse of the tenets of democracy and separation of powers as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “As we speak, on the instructions and directives of the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, all security details attached to the extant Speaker, Honourable Momoh Lawal have been withdrawn thereby exposing him and other members to imminent danger.

    “The act of illegality and executive recklessness of the Governor of Kogi state, if allowed to stand will not only truncate our nascent democracy but will also bring the entire law making institution to ridicule and plunge the State into anarchy and as such we call in strong terms for your intervention, investigation and prompt action to ensure this act of illegality does not stand and to prevent this situation from degenerating into a full blown crisis”.

  • Bello should declare asset – Kogi rights activist

    Bello should declare asset – Kogi rights activist

    The Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has been told to immediately declare his asset in line with his promise of modeling his administration after that of President Mohammadu Buhari.

    Bello had during his inauguration on Wednesday at the Confluence Stadium in Lokoja pledged to maintain zero-tolerance for corruption.

    Mr. Idris Miliki Abdul, the Executive Director, Centre for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR) Lokoja, in a statement issued Thursday in Lokoja called on Bello to stay true to his promise to stamp out corruption in the state by first declaring his asset
    publicly.

    He also called on the governor to probe his predecessor, who he described as the worst governor that the state ever had.

    He stated that Kogi being replete with uncompleted projects, it will be in the interest of the people of the state for the new governor to setup a judicial panel of enquiry to investigate the last administration.

    His words: “In his acceptance speech during his inauguration, it was clearly stated that he would not tolerate corruption, the cankerworm that is currently ravaging the nation and Kogi State in particular.

    “Furthermore, he promised to build his administration around the same principle he shared with the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhamadu Buhari in his effort to stamp out corruption in Nigeria. It is noted that the president and his vice have declared their assets publicly.

    “As a young governor of a state like Kogi, it will enhance confidence, credibility and above all trust from the people of Kogi State and Nigeria if the new governor can declare his asset that we make us to know his worth in both materials and resources. We therefore call on him to declare his asset without further delay.

    “Since 2003 when Alhaji Ibrahim Idris took over the mantle of leadership as a governor of the state and the immediate past rejected administration led by Capt. Idris Wada, the worst governor in the history of the state, the state has been characterized with
    uncompleted projects and inflated contracts, huge and fake wage bills and huge debts of imaginable proportion, it will be in the interest of the people of Kogi State for the new governor to set up a judicial panel of inquiry with people of proven integrity to ascertain the level of indebtedness in the state, both internal and external. To investigate the actual amount paid to contractors as it affects various abandoned and on-going projects in the state.”

  • Kogi governorship Inauguration: Lokoja agog for Bello

    Kogi governorship Inauguration: Lokoja agog for Bello

    The 25,000 capacity Confluence Stadium, venue of the inauguration of Alhaji Yahaya Bello as the new governor of Kogi, is almost filled up by people.

    A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the venue reports that gorgeously dressed women and men started arriving at the stadium as early as 8 a.m. to witness the historic event.

    Tight security in and around the venue is being provided by a combined team of policemen, SSS, Civil Defence and members of vigilance groups.

    The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bansen Gwana, is coordinating the security agents on ground.

    People have been formed into a long queue stretching over 500 meters to allow for easier screening by security agents.

    Eminent personalities including the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, is already seated alongside other national working committee members of the party.

    Two ministers, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu of the Ministry of Communication and Mr James Ocholi, Minister of State for Labour, are also at the venue.

    Similarly, the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Nasir Ajanah, who will administer the oath of office on the new governor, is already in the stadium.

    The Clerk of the National Assembly (NASS), who is an indigene of the state, Alhaji Ataba Omolori, Speaker, Kogi House of Assembly, Mr Jimoh Lawal, and other members of the NASS and state legislatures are also seated.

    To ensure a hitch-free ceremony, the state government ordered the closure of all schools and markets at Ganaja and Lokongoma areas of the city.

  • Tribunal rules on motions against Bello’s inauguration Monday

    Tribunal rules on motions against Bello’s inauguration Monday

    The Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lokoja has fixed Monday for ruling on two separate motions seeking to stop the inauguration of Alhaji Yahaya Bello as governor on January 27.

    The two motions seeking an order of the tribunal to stop the inauguration were filed by counsel to Governor Idris Wada and PDP, Chief Chris Uche (SAN) and that of Labour Party, Reuben Egwuaba.

    The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Halima Mohammed, fixed the date after listening to submissions and adoption of written addresses of the counsel to the two parties Friday.

    Uche said his motion on notice dated January 12 and filed on January 13 was supported by a 44-paragraph affidavit and 10 grounds

    In his own motion on notice, Egwuaba had averred that Bello was not qualified to participate in the supplementary election when he did.

    He said apart from his failure to participate in all the electoral processes preparatory to the governorship election, Bello breached the Electoral Act (2010) as amended, as he contested the supplementary election without a valid running mate.

    “Consequent upon nomination of Alhaji Yahaya Bello as replacement for Abubakar Audu, Hon. James Faleke, who was Audu’s running mate, withdrew and dissociated himself from participating in supplementary election as Bello’s running mate,” he argued.

    Joseph Daudu (SAN), counsel to the governor-elect, opposed the motion in his submission, strengthened by a 31-paragraph counter affidavit.

    He urged the tribunal to dismiss the motion on the ground that the tribunal was not constitutionally empowered to stop the swearing-in of a governor-elect.

    Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Dr Alex Izinyon (SAN) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), Charles Edosomwan (SAN) also opposed the motion in their submissions.

     

  • APC warns Wada against auctioning govt property

    APC warns Wada against auctioning govt property

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State Friday accused the outgoing government of Capt. Idris Wada, of plans to auction some government property and award phony contracts before leaving office on January 27.

    The Chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Haddy Ametuo, said in a statement made available to The Nation in Abuja that Wada was trying to auction government property at ridiculous prices.

    He warned the outgoing governor against such an action, adding that the party had information that the outgoing administration, which has already incurred nearly N50 billion debt, also plans to award phony contracts.

    The APC chairman warned government appointees and civil servants in the state against aiding and abetting any criminal act, adding that they should rather err on the side of the law.

    He said: “It has come to our notice that the outgoing Capt. Idris Wada-led PDP administration has embarked on illegal sales of government properties and careless looting of the state treasury.

    “We are also not comfortable with the unwholesome manners of awarding major contracts at this dying minute when the governor should be preparing to hand over to our great party, the APC.”

    The new government in the state to be headed by Alhaji Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress is billed for inauguration next Wednesday.

    Bello took over the APC ticket after the death of Prince Abubakar Audu, but the legality of the substitution is still being challenged by Audu’s running mate, Hon. James Faleke, who has said that he will not be available for inauguration as deputy governor to Yahaya Bello.

  • Kogi: CNPP cautions Wada on litigation

    Kogi: CNPP cautions Wada on litigation

    The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) Kogi State chapter has urged the Governor Idris Wada to promptly rescind the proposed court litigation against the Alhaji Yahaya Bello’s election.

    This they said will enable the governor-elect enjoy a smooth take off with his administration, next year.

    This was contained in a statement jointly signed by the state chairman, Alhaji Abdanis Abubakar Ibrahim and the secretary, Ilyas Badanga, copies of which were made available to newsmen in Lokoja Tuesday.

    They stated that the call had become imperative, in order to have a pleasant transition period and for the benefit of an inclusive government that would be mutually beneficial to all and sundry.

    The CNPP also commended the measures taken so far by Wada administration towards smooth transition of governance.

    The Kogi CNPP which comprises of ADC, DPC, DPP, ID, KOWA, NCP, PDM, UPP and YDP, all of which contested the governorship election in the state appealed to Hon. James  Abiodun Faleke, the deputy governor-elect to shift ground and allow for a synergy that will put the name of both executive leaders in the sand of history among the patriots.

    It added: “CNPP hereby challenge Hon. James Faleke to hournor the people’s clarion call to him to offer his leadership services in compliance with the party’s interest.

    “Disputations and litigations will only deafen his sensibilities against the will of the people now that matters most. Please Honourable come and join hands with the peoples administration.”