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Tag: KOGI

  • Kogi wins fiscal transparency, accountability award again

    Kogi wins fiscal transparency, accountability award again

    Kogi State has again won the fiscal transparency and accountability award in a survey conducted across the States in North Central.

    The 2022 first position award was presented to the State on Tuesday in Lokoja during the launch of the 2022 North Central State Budget Transparency Survey Report carried out by the Social Economic Research and Development Centre (SERDEC).

    The National Coordinator, State and National Budget Transparency Survey for the agency, Mr. Tijani Abdulkareem, who presented the report and the award, said the objective of the budget Transparency and Accountability Program was to promote focus and attention of Nigerian States towards the improvement of their budget performance in providing good governance to the people.

    “Good governance starts from budgeting. This report and award are aimed at strengthening fiscal transparency to help build trust in government, facilitate accountability in public resource management and ensure sustainability in the participating states,” he said.

    He added: “It is evident from the 2022 SNBTS on the public availability of budget document and transparency that there are positive changes. Most of the North Central states now publish their budget documents in 2022 compared to 2020.

    “Nevertheless, in terms of state by state performance, none of the states provided extensive budget information to the public in 2022. Only Kogi State can be said to be significantly transparent and provide adequate amount of budget information to the public, as they score more than 60 per cent.”

    Tijani explained that the reports were collated across the six states of the North Central zone between 2021 and 2022, adding that the states were judged based on parameters such as Public participation, availability of budget, oversight functions of the state legislators and level of transparency of the procurement process.

    He noted: “The survey was set up as a model to improve budget transparency amongst North Central states towards a better fiscal outcome.

    “As in previous surveys, the SNBTS 2022 survey report employed a questionnaire approach like the International Budget Partnership, and Open Budget Survey questionnaires, which evaluate the availability of budget information (Transparency); Civic engagement opportunities in the budget process and methods; the strength of the legislature as well as the level of transparency of the North Central states’ procurement process.”

    The report, however, said the states’ legislators failed in their oversight functions.

    Read Also: ’10 MDAs, companies, individuals owe FG N5.2tr’

    “On Civic participation in the budget process, the 2022 survey reveals clear evidence of a poor level of engagement or interaction between the Legislature and the public in terms of the depth of scope of the public hearings,” the report said.

    “Consequently, on the issues of Audit, the 2022 survey reveals that not much effort was made by the states’ Auditors General to involve the public in the Audit phases of the budget process,” it added.

    The state commissioner for Finance, Budget and Planning, Asiru Idris, said the award underscored the premium the state governor, Yahaya Bello, placed on providing good governance.

    Asiru said, “The success of the state in the areas of fiscal transparency and accountability can be linked to self-discipline, as well as the institution of a transparent and accountable governance system by Governor Yahaya Bello from the inception of his administration.

    “Kogi State is blessed with a Governor who provides leadership from all fronts, a professional to the core that has surrounded himself only with persons that have the capacity to deliver.

    “The governor believes that governance is about the people and whatever you do must be open and transparent to the people.

    “The philosophy of the Governor of the state is making every single kobo available work for the entity of the State, hence he has instituted self-discipline, as well as a transparent and accountable governance system from day one of his administration.”

    According to the report, this is the second time in a row that Kogi State will top the chart in fiscal transparency and accountability in the North Central, having won the award in 2021.

  • Kogi 2023: Bello inaugurates Campaign Council, urges members to focus on issues, achievements

    Kogi 2023: Bello inaugurates Campaign Council, urges members to focus on issues, achievements

    Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello has charged members of the All Progressives Congress(APC) governorship campaign council to base their campaign on issues and performance of the current administration.

    The Director General of the campaign council and Minister of and Steel Development, Prince Shaibu Abubakar Audu, charged Igala people to shun ethnic agenda that would not bring about development in the state.

    Speaking during the inauguration of the Kogi APC governorship campaign council on Tuesday at the Government House in Lokoja, Governor Bello called on the campaign council not to preach ethnicity or religion but base their campaign on what the government had achieved in the last eight years and the ability of the governorship candidate, Usman Ododo, to build effectively on the current administration’s successes.

    He urged members and supporters of the party not to join issues with others who do not have anything to offer in terms of adding value to the state and its inhabitants.

    “Forget about liars, whose stock in trade is thuggery with nothing to offer. Go out there and preach what we have on ground in terms of infrastructure, not about ethnicity. Kogi State belongs to all of us. I have always said that Kogi State has the potential to be great if only we stop playing politics of ethnicity.

    “I want all of you to go and work for the success of the party and you will be adequately rewarded.”

    Read Also: Kogi community backs Ododo

    Director General of the campaign council said his late father and former governor of the state had never believed in ethnic agenda, but had vision for the growth and development of the state.

    He noted that in the last eight years, Governor Yahaya Bello had demonstrated his father’s vision for the state through appointments, distribution and execution of projects across the three senatorial districts of the state without any iota of bias or sentiment.

    “My father had a pan Kogi vision and was never a leader that focused on Kogi East.

    “Any agenda that focuses on a particular senatorial district instead of Kogi State would not bring about justice, equity and development. We know that Igala people are agitating for return of power to the East but it must be discussed and resolved because power can never be taken with force.”

  • One dead, three injured in Kogi crash

    One dead, three injured in Kogi crash

    One person died while three others were injured in an auto head-on collision in Kogi State in the early hours of Saturday.

    The accident occurred at Elete village along Lokoja-Ajaokuta Road in Kogi.

    The Kogi Sector Commander of FRSC, Mr Samuel Oyedeji, who confirmed the incident, described it as very unfortunate.

     Oyedeji said the accident, which involved a Peugeot J-5 bus and a Sharon bus, left the driver of the J-5 bus dead.

    Read Also: APC supporters walk for Kogi Gov candidate Ododo

    He gave the cause of the collusion as speeding, reckless overtaking and carelessness.

    “The Sharon bus had eight persons while the J-5 bus had only three persons but God in his infinite mercy, kept seven persons unhurt.

    “FRSC rescue team, which rushed to the accident scene, took the injured persons to the Kogi Specialist Hospital, Lokoja for medical attention,” he said.

    The sector commander said the corpse of the bus driver had been claimed by the members of the community for burial.

     Oyedeji appealed to motorists to exercise caution while on the highway, in order not to be involved such accidents that bring about untimely deaths and destruction of property.

  • 20 dead, 36 injured in auto crashes in Kogi, says FRSC

    20 dead, 36 injured in auto crashes in Kogi, says FRSC

    Twenty persons died and 36 were injured in separate auto crashes involving Toyota Hiace buses in two weeks in Kogi State, an official has said.

     Corps Commander Samuel Oyedeji, Kogi Sector Commander, FRSC, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja yesterday that the fatalities were from three accidents.

     Oyedeji described the fatalities within just two weeks as very worrisome and unfortunate, considering the efforts of the corps to reduce road crashes on highways.

     The sector commander explained that the most worrisome was the accident of September 3 that left 12 killed and six injured, when an 18 seater Toyota Hiace bus collided with a Howo Sono Truck along Obajana – Lokoja road.

    Read Also: Kogi govt denies alleged harassment of ADC candidate

     “The dead victims were given mass burial at the Central Mosque Obajana, while the injured were taken to First Nation Orthopedic Hospital Zariagi for medical attention.

     “The property of the victims and the vehicle are in custody of Police (MTD) at Obajana Police Division.

     “On September 10, we had a lone accident involving a Toyota Hiace bus, which left five persons dead and 15 injured at Zango, close to Chukwumereje Roundabout within Lokoja metropolis.

     “Just on September 13, three persons lost their lives again while 15 were injured at Omoko village along Abujai-Lokoja road where another Toyota Hiace bus lost control and crashed at around 10:30 a.m.,” he said.

     The FRSC Commander said that joint rescue patrol teams of Abaji, Zebra 16 Abaji and Zebra 13 Gegu, were at Wednesday’s accident scene and rescued the 15 injured victims.

  • Kogi govt denies alleged harassment of ADC candidate

    Kogi govt denies alleged harassment of ADC candidate

    • Why should be voted for, by Abejide

    The Kogi Government yesterday denied the alleged harassment of the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr. Leke Abejide.

    Mr. Kingsley Fanwo the state’s Commissioner for Information and Communications, said this in a statement in Lokoja.

    Fanwo said that Abejide was one of those just making up the numbers in the line-up of governorship candidates, saying he was not in the governorship race for real.

    “Leke Abejide’s campaign has been based on spurious and senseless allegations. What Kogi residents want to hear is a clear plan on how to consolidate on the great achievements of the incumbent governor.

    “But, expectedly, he has continued to miss the chance to impress the people.

    Read Also: Kogi residents in Kwara set agenda for ADC governorship candidate

    “Ododo emerged based on his pedigree and readiness to take the state forward. He was in government for seven years and has a proper grasp of what needs to be done to consolidate on the widely acclaimed achievements of the current administration.

    He said that the APC candidate, Alhaji Usman Ododo, had always unfolded his plans to consolidate on the achievements of his boss and told the people how he would achieve that, noting that his commitment to a united and prosperous Kogi could never be in doubt.

    The commissioner, however, called on residents to ensure peace before, during and after the election and assured them of the government’s determination to ensure the election was free and fair.

    Also yesterday, Abejide called on the residents to reject the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Usman Ododo.

    According to Abejide, voting for Ododo would amount to third-term agenda of the incumbent governor, Yahaya Bello.

    Abejide, who said he has no ethnic agenda, assured the people that his victory will unite and develop the state better.

    “Governor Bello is planning a third term agenda through Ododo’s candidacy. We have it on good authority that Bello has secured an arrangement with Ododo who will be giving him some percentage of the state allocation after he leaves office.”

    He, however, stressed that he will repay the state in a better way if he’s elected, “I will never be ungrateful to you Kogites. You have suffered so much; you have endured so much for eight years. I intend to wipe your tears away.

    “I urge you to reject Ododo. Let this election be a movement, let it go one way. Use your PVC, and use me as a point of contact to drive them away.

    The ADC candidate also said he will not wait for the Federal Government before he fixes the federal roads in the state, “I will open the roads 18 meters wide, if the FG like let them reimburse the state or not, my joy is that my people have good roads to ply.”

    In his remarks, the Chairman of ADC campaign council, Chief Shola Ojo said they were in Ilorin to seek the support of Kogi indigenes for the ADC candidate.

  • Kogi APC candidate Ododo’s support base swells

    Kogi APC candidate Ododo’s support base swells

    The support base of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate in Kogi governorship election in November 2023, Usman Ododo, has received a boost as a notable entrepreneur in the state has thrown his weight behind APC’s candidate.

    Showing his support, Juwon Oludoyi, the CEO of Mr. Jay Autos LLC, presented a brand-new Toyota Sienna Bus, adorned with the APC insignia, alongside stylish caps and T-shirts to the Kogi State APC Chairman, Hon Abdullahi Bello, during a ceremony in Abuja.

    Read Also: Lukman meets Ganduje over book on ‘APC and Transition Politics’

    At the event, Oludoyi highlighted the substantial groundwork laid by the incumbent governor, Yahaya Bello, for the advancement of Kogi State’s socio-economic and infrastructural landscape.

    He emphasized the critical importance of rallying behind the APC to secure the state’s overall interests.

  • Kogi residents in Kwara set agenda for ADC governorship candidate

    Kogi residents in Kwara set agenda for ADC governorship candidate

    • ‘I’ll provide N2b interest-free loan for women’

    Ahead of the November 11 governorship election in Kogi state, indigenes of the state in Kwara State have endorsed the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Leke Abejide.

    Accordingly, the people have set an agenda of job provision and rehabilitation of Ilorin-Kabba Road for the candidate if elected as governor of the state.

    Leaders of Okun, Ebira and Igala ethnic stocks as well as youths spoke in Ilorin, the state capital when Abejide campaign train visited Kogi residents in Kwara.

    They said that they were in their support of the ADC governorship candidate.

    Salihu Abdulaziz said: “All we want is progress and development of our people. We suffer discrimination as we are looked upon as second-class citizens. Home is home. We want you to help us give Kogi better services that would lead to greater development. We also want you to help us fight injustice in the state.”

    The Igala leader, Omede Adamu, told the governorship hopeful that “if elected, we urge you to facilitate the rehabilitation of Ilorin-Kabba highway for us’’.

    Read Also: Tinubu felicitates with the Alake of Egbaland at 80

    “We are imploring you to make provision of jobs for our teeming graduates a priority.

     Abejude, who is the House of Representatives Chair on Customs and Excise, announced a plan to set aside N2 billion interest-free soft loan for women in the state if elected.

    “The N2 billion micro credit soft loan would be purposely set aside for women in the state to help improve their socioeconomic lives with no interest immediately I’m elected governor,” he said.

    The ADC governorship candidate reiterated his promise to improve the lives of traditional rulers, adding that he would accord respect to traditional institutions when elected.

    He advised eligible voters in the state to get their PVC to enable them actualise their aspiration of electing a credible candidate in the November governorship election.

    “You should all bear it in mind that voting for anyone from the incumbent occupiers of office in Kogi state is like voting for third term of poor governance, poor infrastructure and unemployment”, he said.

    He promised to serve the people and the state, adding that he would not be ungrateful to the people of the state if elected governor.

  • Elections: ‘APC working to retain Kogi’

    Elections: ‘APC working to retain Kogi’

    National Chairman All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has said the party is putting its arts together for a landslide victory to retain Kogi State during the governorship election.

    Kogi is among the few states billed for the Independent National Election Commission’s (INEC’s) staggered governorship polls.

    Others on the roll for similar exercises include Edo, Bayelsa, Imo, Ondo and Ekiti states.

     Gnaduje, who is the immediate past Kano State governor, stated this to reporters in Sokoto.

     He said APC was fast-tracking and doing everything possible and legitimate to retain the state .

    According to him, “Kogi State is key and part of the progressives movement which we have held sway before now, therefore, winning the state will not be difficult for APC”, he pointed out.

    Ganduje, who has a record-breaking history for governing Kano State the largest commercial hub in the north for eight years as his predecessor, former governor Senator Ibrahim Shekarau noted that “governor Yahaya Bello is in charge of Kogi State and going by his person and the roll of his achievements, APC is good to go.”

    Read Also: 26 die in boat mishap in Niger

     Noting the achievements of Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State within 100 days of assumption into office, the APC National Chairman described his strides as unprecedented.

    Ganduje further noted that Aliyu is very young,  promising and ever-ready for the job he was given the mandate to deliver for the good people of Sokoto State.

    “I am impressed with what I saw of the role of physical achievements by Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto. I foresaw that from the onset when he was declared governor-elect. He immediately swung into action with a purposeful work plan to deliver his campaign promises to the people of the state which we are beginning to see happening.

    “I was joyous when I witnessed the distribution of palliatives to flood victims”, he said.

    Ganduje, who inaugurated a newly constructed road, said: “It is also part of the tangible achievements of Dr. Aliyu Sokoto, among several others, lined up to be inaugurated to mark his 100 days in office.”

  • Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan: I will challenge my sack at Appeal Court, Kogi Senator Ohere vows

    Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan: I will challenge my sack at Appeal Court, Kogi Senator Ohere vows

    Senator Sadiku Ohere representing Kogi Central Senatorial District has vowed to challenge the tribunal judgment that nullified his election at the Appeal Court.

    Ohere, who disclosed this in a statement, said he received the news of his sack with great shock.

    He emphasized his concern regarding the Tribunal’s verdict, particularly the requirement that, as the respondent in the petition contesting his position as the Senator representing Kogi Central, he should have submitted a cross-petition to contest the election results.

    He said that the tribunal’s decision contradicts Paragraph 15 of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act of 2022.

    Read Also: APC loses second senatorial seat in Kogi

    He said: “As a matter of fact, I presented before the Tribunal through my team of lawyers, a decision of the Appellate Court which held that a Respondent does not need to file a cross-petition to challenge votes in an election petition if the grounds for challenging the election is ‘majority of lawful votes.’

    “While I am waiting for my team of lawyers to give me full details of the judgment, I urge all my supporters to be calm and peaceful as their mandate is not lost. I verily know that I have the option of appeal to the Court of Appeal which I shall exercise after due consultation with my lawyers.”

    The Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital, led by Justice Kemakolam Ojiako, had on Wednesday declared Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan the winner of the election, while nullifying the election victory of APC candidate in the February 25 poll, Sadiku Abubakar Ohere.

  • Kogi East Senatorial: Tribunal sacks Senator Isah

    Kogi East Senatorial: Tribunal sacks Senator Isah

    • Orders supplementary election

    The Kogi East Senatorial Election Tribunal yesterday removed Senator Jibrin Isah, the Senate Committee Chairman on Customs Excise and Tarriffs, because the election was cancelled in 94 polling units.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports in Lokoja that the tribunal also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a supplementary election in the affected polling units.

    The tribunal Chairman, Justice K. A. Orjiako, who delivered the judgment on the petition brought before it by Dr Victor Adoji, Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), agreed with the prayers of Adoji.

    Adoji, through his counsel, Mr Johnson Usman (SAN), challenged the return of Isah on the ground that elections were cancelled in some polling units where the PVCs collected were more than the margin of his (Chocho’s) win.

    The petitioner had pleaded with the tribunal to annul the election and ordered for a supplementary election in the affected 94 polling units in the senatorial district.

    Read Also: 12 die, six injured in Kogi auto crash 

    Delivering a unanimous Judgment of the Tribunal, Justice K. A. Orjiako, agreed with the submission of Usman (SAN), annulled Isah’s victory and ordered for the withdrawal of his certificate of return.

    “Since the PVCs collected in the 94 polling units is 59,730, while the margin of win is 26,922 votes, the Returning Officer ought to have declared the election inconclusive without making a return.

    “Consequently, this honourable Tribunal hereby granted the reliefs sought by the petitioners. We also set aside the Certificate of Return issued to Jibrin Isah.

    “The tribunal hereby also ordered INEC to conduct a supplementary election in the affected polling units where election did not hold or cancelled to determine the winner, ” Justice Orjiako declared.