The 2023 Presidential ambition of governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State may be a cash cow of sort to some notable officials of the government who see the quest by the leader of the Confluence State to occupy the number one office in the country as an opportunity to enhance their personal fortune.

Notable among some opportunistic figures parading as partners in Yahaya Bello's presidential project is Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Matthew Kolawole.

Hardly had the governor made clear his ambition to run for the presidency of this country did the Speaker carry the project like a major state project, abandoning his legislative, oversight and representative assignment at the House of Assembly to become a campaign mouthpiece of the governor.

Little wonder the state just like several others in the country has become an extension of the governor's empire where the state Chief Executive decides what happens at the legislative arm. Again, it points to why everything and anything that comes from the governor's table is passed without proper parliamentary scrutiny process as the law envisages.

He is a perfect definition of why the legislative arm of government is seen as a sleeping toothless bulldog that cannot exercise any check on the Executive.

Findings by our correspondent indicate that the Kogi number one lawmaker had explored his closeness to the Governor to tell him series of lies about the feedback of his consultations among his Speaker colleagues across APC states where he had gone canvassing for support for Bello.

After collecting millions of Naira from the governor, the Speaker's so called consultations have been a tour of shame without any positive feedback from his fellow Speakers.

One may assume that the Speaker Matthew Kolawole is being driven by spirit of patriotism or concern to see a GYB to PYB kind of transformation. Rather he is being pushed by his unbridled desire to succeed Gov. Bello who will vacate office late 2023.

The grand plan is to bring on board a member of the House of Representatives from Kogi East, who was a member of the state House of Assembly to be a running mate to Speaker Kolawole in his gubernatorial ambition.

Not ready to stay out of power, before his chasing his governorship ambition, the Speaker's intention is to represent the people of Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu in the House of Representatives pending the expiration of Gov. Bello's tenure.

Findings on why he is so desperate to have his way politically is because of the burden of debt he is carrying about, inflicted on him by his extravagant lifestyle. At the moment, the Speaker is owing three commercial banks, Wema, UBA and Polaris to the tune of almost a billion Naira. With his endorsement tour on the geopolitical zones which he started this year, he paid the sum of N40m to UBA after receiving funds from the governor for North Central endorsement at part payment for his pillage of debt in the old generation bank.

His fresh journey into the web of debt is not unconnected with his personal hotel constructed at an outrageously scandalous cost. All funds received from the governor in the name of endorsement is going back to debt repayment as pressure by the commercial banks mounts.

While the Speaker's tour of shame lasted across the States last year, he smiled to the bank with his pocket full of proceeds of lie and deception, misinforming the governor of his imaginary endorsement by Speakers of the State Houses of Assembly.

During the tour where he targeted APC states, in Ebonyi for instance, the Speaker was rejected on the account that his governor has performed bellow average to think of presidential office. Kogi is arguably the only state in the country that has not purchased official cars to its own officials let alone paying attention to the welfare of the people.

While the Speaker selfishly deceived the governor into believing that he (Speaker) is working for Gov. Bello's presidential bid, there is nothing to suggest that any state in the federation is aligned to the Presidential ambition of Bello after several millions of Naira has been sank with the Speaker being the sole beneficiary.

A man whose integrity has come under serious questioning, we are yet to forget how his company, Achievers Events Ltd was investigated by involvement in multiple financial impropriety by State and local government committee of the House of Representatives.

It is on record that in 2009, this same company organised an award which took place at Sheraton Hotels Abuja where he received funds from several persons for an award meant for one person which caused a lot of problems. The award was organised in collaboration with state and local government of Reps. Following this development, the House of Representatives investigated Achievers Events Ltd, found it guilty of financial offences, blacklisted it and passed a vote of no confidence on award presentation by the company. Till today, that company is resting in the dustbin where it has been dumped, being that it has been established to be a conduit for fraud. Speaker Matthew Kolawole can't deny this.

One would assume that he would by now settle down to enjoy his loots this new year. But never. He has continued to swindle the governor with imaginary endorsement this year, this time around zone by zone.

He almost set Nasarawa State House of Assembly on fire after short paying them what the governor handed to him for the lawmakers in exchange for their "enforcement". In Yobe, there were lots of complains arising from under-remittance of the actual amount he received from the governor.

In Gombe, the so called endorsement caused a lot of ripples, to the extent that the Speaker of the state Assembly, Abubakar Sadiq Ibrahim representing Yamaltu West constituency was almost removed after the governor, Inuwa Yahaya was informed about it. The Assembly quickly denied endorsement after the Speaker came to public spotlight for the negative reason.

One wonders where Speaker Matthew Kolawole will galvanise his support to become the next House of Representatives member for KBI federal constituency let alone the governor when his grassroot popularity is fading off due to extreme poor representation of the people.

While the presidential ambition of Gov. Bello Bello hangs in balance, there is no gainsaying that Speaker Matthew Kolawole is governor Bello's number one opposition, masquerading as a partner.

He suppresses the truth of his fruitless tour to the Governor, yet harvests from him as much as his greed can accommodate, neglecting his assignment as a lawmaker elected to represent a constituency.

Whatever the issues are, Speaker Matthew Kolawole is a conman who knows the truth about how the presidential bid of Gov. Yahaya Bello will end but has continued to aggressively fill his pocket while deceiving the governor.

His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello must be weary of people like Speaker Matthew Kolawole around him. Speaker Matthew Kolawole does not command the acceptance that will market a Bello brand yet he has seen the governor as a cash cow to feather his nest.