₦airaland Forum

This bible passages is very simple, only an insane person would want to twist them.
1) Does the spirit of God reside in a beer palour?
Now when the passage keeps hammering on "the place God has chosen" even a demon possed man knows where the spirit of God is, such that he foes there for deliverance.

God may decide to choose anywhere to worship him but certainly not a filthy and sinful place like a beer palour.
Also, the passage is admonishing those who have physical goods and cant take them far, because of their weight to convert it to money.
One basic thing is , the scripture is madness to those who does not hav the spirit of God in them.
I rest my case

Press Release By The Kogi G-24 Group Lagos, Nigeria

Ordinarily, we wont have dignified the Kogi State Government with a response, but in the face of monumental deceit, it would be a crime to keep quiet and not respond to his fallacious allusions on the LEADERSHIP NEWS PAPER, where the state Government and its Governor spent 44 million on publication, when the average Kogi civil and Public servants are dying of hunger. The publication is laughable and a waste of time.

It is a bigger crime to try and deceive the collectively of the people with their funds, by publishing a one sided and doctored publication. Posterity will not be kind to such people. It is totally uncalled for and a total waste of scarce resources.

If you have actually paid salaries and entitlements of workers, why are all Kogi State Ministries, Departments and Agencies under locks and Key on the order of the NLC? Is it possible that all the civil and public servants are “Political Workers” as opined by the Governor? How possible is that? How will a Government, whose workforce is on strike, perform optimally?
For the purpose of transparency, we want the Government to respond as a matter of urgency to the following questions:

1. Since Government is a continuum, let the Government publish the wage bill of Kogi state civil service of September 2015 and that of July 2017 respectively.
2. The total Federal Government Allocation received from January 2016 to September 2017.
3. The total amount of the following:
a. Bailout Funds
b. Paris Club Refunds
4. Names of workers paid and amount on monthly basis from September 2015 to July 2017.
5. Names of cleared but not paid workers and amount due to them on monthly basis from October 2015 to July 2017
6. Name of pensioners not paid but cleared in monthly basis from October 2015 till July 2017.
All the above should include the amount due to them on monthly basis against their names.
7. Internally generated revenue from January 2016 till September 2017 and how it has been expended.

We are aware of Governments gimmick; it is to mislead the Federal Government into releasing funds to its coffers. We call on the Federal Government, not to fall for such cheap buffoonery. If proper account is not rendered on the usage of previous released funds, no further funds should be released to the Kogi State Government. It would be expended on frivolous usage like buying of exotic cars and other unnecessary ventures.

When all these questions are responded to and calculations made by the public, then we shall agree that the governor is transparent one and has judiciously expended its resources. However, until then, the Government should go ahead to pay its workers and stop giving excuse.


Signed
Dr. Daudu Babatunde
babsdaudu007@gmail.com

PROTOCOLS

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. Let me from the outset sincerely thank you all for responding in numbers to our invitation to be part of today's gathering to discuss the progress of our dear state as regards communication through the social media. This Social Media Summit is the first of its kind in Kogi's political history and becomes necessary due to the increasing influence of social media in today's politics. In other words, this is a media related innovation engendered by this government of New Direction under the leadership of His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

2. I would like to thank our summit partners for the vision that we have shared which culminated in the creation of a platform for us to deliberate on salient issues concerning the image of Kogi State as seen and analyzed by political pundits and media influencers all over the country and beyond.

3. I also wish to express my sincere thanks to the co-organizers of this summit for considering me worthy of addressing this assemblage of multifaceted and multidimensional media experts. I am equally gratefully impressed by the calibre of those with whom I am sharing the podium — diligent, enthusiastic, and venerable men and women who have played, and are still playing key roles in the development of Kogi State. That indeed underscores the seriousness of this summit.

4. Yesterday, dispatches of social media influencers were sent to the three senatorial districts of the State to witness ongoing projects of the government. It was sacrificial on your part to endure the stress of the inland travels. Moreover, we sincerely apologize for a number of things we could have done differently and how we could have treated you differently. We accept responsibility. We fulsomely thank you for your understanding.

5. This government realises the importance of the contributions of the people towards the governance of the state, and we are in constant communication with the people for the benefit of the quest for a new and better Kogi State.

6. This government, strictu sensu, realises the usefulness of the social media and employs it maximally for developmental and progressive interaction with the citizens and friends of Kogi State.

7. Dear social media influencers, you were invited to this progressive discussion today because this government carries everybody along, irrespective of political and ethnic affiliations.

8. You were invited here today because the New Direction administration believes you have an important role to play in the new Kogi project.

9. You were invited here today consequent upon the fact that this government needs your constructive and progressive contributions towards the development of our beloved state.

10. Our people are passionate about the leadership of this state. They always make their voice heard, and social media presents a very convenient medium for them to do so. The assertive nature of the good people of Kogi State has kept me on my toes and pushes me to give my best in trying to interact with them and satisfy their hunger for information. I can assure you that Kogi State blogosphere will make a full grown man sweat while trying to negotiate it.

11. There is always the challenge of misinterpretation, misrepresentation, and negative comments on the information the government puts out on the official social media platforms, but we keep surmounting this challenge with consistent, prompt and robust rejoinders when the need arises.

12. Dear social media influencers, as great men and women who have carved a niche for themselves and established credibility in the media industry, this government knows you have a strong voice that can either make or mar whatever the government stands for. With due respect, we want to be on the positive side of your voice. This is the more reason this summit is being held, because the government considers you as partners in progress. It is my hope that this summit will offer us a more robust platform for critical engagement and that whatever we take away from here will also be leveraged upon for subsequent engagements as the government will always need your contributions.

13. To all social media commentators of Kogi extraction, we appreciate your suggestions. We implore you to keep them coming to reflect your responsibility as fantastic indigenes of Kogi State and citizens of Nigeria. It is your natural right. Because we know Kogites are strong, decent and intelligent people, we will prefer you to be civil and constructive in your criticisms so we can quickly adopt your suggestions. Destructive criticism is anti-progress; it's anti-development. Constructive criticism is good for democracy.

14. I implore us all to feel free to express our observations and suggestions. Do bless us with your media expertise towards the realisation of our collective dream for a new and better Kogi State.

15. From the New Direction Media Team, we wish you a fantastic interface and a fabulous interactive session with prominent functionaries of the New Direction government of His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello.

Thank You

The Advocates For Good Governance in Kogi state has issued a press statement that security operatives in Kogi should arrest Dino Melaye NOW without further delay, the group spokes person, Babatunde Daudu stated in Lokoja, Kogi state.

Dino Melaye, this afternoon in Lokoja, staged a protest that turned bloody for only God knows what, at the gate of Kogi state Polytechnic, which has led to the death of 2 Kogi State Polytechnic Students, Saka Seidu and a yet to be identified one.

The intent behind his actions are very simple, to incite students who just resumed school to join his thugs to cause mayhem in the state capital.

For avoidance of doubt, a letter was written to the Inspector General of Police, dated 17th of January, 2017, by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Folashade, Ayoade to inform the police ahead of the planned protest.
However, nothing was done to that effect by the police. Neither was he invited or the claim investigated.
This further buttressed Dino’s statement in one of the audio tapes released by Sahara TV that they (Dino and co) have taken charge of the police. Else, who approved the said protest for him? who approved the security personnel with him for this protest? The police is complicit in this matter

Dino Melaye does not have any immunity and so should be arrested without further delay, to prevent him and his thugs from causing more deaths in Lokoja or else the group would mobilize to seize Dino and hand him over to them.

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state may have exposed loopholes in the INECs registration afteral.
The alleged registration brings to the fore many questions bothering on the efficiency of the INEC’s system that ought to be automated and real-time.

How do we conclude this was a fresh registration since the machine did not reject governor Bello’s finger print, haven registered prior to now? Was this actually a fresh registration? Is the INEC registration systems not networked and connected to a central database with a call back mechanism? Is the INEC system not Bio-metric for Fingerprint recognition and authentication? Does the system not have the register button change to update after the first registration in case an update is needed, after verifying the authenticity of an account via finger print?

It is a common knowledge that before the 2015 gubernatorial election in Kogi state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello wrote to INEC for a transfer of his voter’s record from FCT to Kogi state ahead of the election. This effort shows clearly that the governor actually knows the process of record transfer, the question here is , has INEC actually done the said transfer as requested ?

Perhaps the likelihood that this may be the last open registration before 2019 elections is the pointer to why the governor, like every other law abiding citizen embarked on registering his data with INEC or possibly for the lackadaisical attitude of INEC to the transfer of his record to Kogi, nobody can tell except the man himself, but INEC cannot be exonerated from this issue at hand.

Looking very critically, the integrity of the INEC’s system is open to serious scrutiny. Is it truly automated? Is it real time? If No why?
A complex polity like Nigeria should run a fully automated Database Management System , one that integrity can be forced and inconsistency can be avoided.

The system could be such that would be able to conquer terrain constraint through internet access based on the clumsy Nigeria topology. It should be one that would instantly detect double finger prints and if not, facial recognition technology could also be Incorporated as a doubled layer security option.

Alas it is not despite billions of naira expended on it, it merely a standalone machine functioning alone, open to the manipulation of the people, a total failure.

There are lot of problems with the INEC’s system.
1. Cannot do not real time registration. The system can only collate data from a locality which then is taken to the sorting center for sorting within a . The question(s) is
a) What happens if the machine and data backup gets damaged or stolen on transit?
Simply put, peoples records would be lost.
However, if the machine operates realtime, connected to a centralized database with double encryption layer, it becomes so fortified that it takes an Harry portter to do a double registration.
b) Why know a challenge exist and instead of solving it, you make laws to overcome it after spending billions on the system?
2. It was established that the system cannot make more than 100 registration a day. When it does, it battery either dies or it gets unstable. Of the 100 registration captured, there is the possibility that 30% may guilty of double registration.
However, if the system is realtime, it would have saved space for persons with genuine reasons for registration and resources.
There wont be need to deploy persons and computers at sorting centers to query for duplicate entries and there would have been no need for payments of remuneration.

Does INEC have a time frame for closing of daily registration? i.e 8-4 pm. From all information gathered, the said registration took place past 5pm in the evening. A time that falls outside working hours.

Ordinarily, if the INECs system is fully automated, once its a second past the close of working hour, it refuses access to its database.
The INEC registration system is a total disaster from the set go. How many double registrations do we know has been feed into the system? If the camera man to the governor had not innocently uploaded the picture, according to him, showing the world that the governor was leading by example, would it have been discovered?

Could it be that the governor actually did the photo show to encourage kogites to go and register for there voters card? That is debate for another day. I am just trying to make common sense.


Williams Charles Oluwatoyin
Writes from
Lokoja

The lingering closure of Tertiary Institutions in Kogi State is not the handiwork of the Kogi State Government but it is our duty to reopen them by all means at our disposal.

While we continue to work on that, we pose a few questions below for the unbiased mind to ponder on:

Were the Schools closed down by the Government of Kogi State which owns them?

If No, who then shut down the schools and have kept our students at home when they want and ought to be in their classrooms?

What reasons have been given by the Staff Unions for downing tools, and how tenable are they?

What have the Academic Staff Unions demanded from the Kogi State Government which remains unmet and therefore justifies this continuing punishment on our students?

If they say non-payment of salaries is the problem, will they resume work today if Government decides to forget everyone else and pay them alone?

If not, why not? What other demands do they have which go beyond even the power and the jurisdiction of any Government? Has any of the protesters bothered to find out?

What percentage of salaries has Government paid even paid and has Government not shown any signs of good faith, made efforts, etc that warrants return to work even for a while as other issues are being tackled?

Why of all the about 110 branches and sub-branches of (Primary and Secondary)Education Sector Unions, Local Government Employee and the over 70 Ministries,Departments,Agencies and Commissions;Only the 6 Tertiary Institutions Staff are sitting at home and holding the State and its people, especially Parents and Students, to ransom?

Has Government met with various Students representatives from Kogi and outside Kogi and did she try to explain her own roles, and appeal for their understanding?

Are there proofs that some of the protesters have been paid by disgruntled politicians from Kogi to ensure that chaos and breakdown of law and order is the order of the day in the state?

Would a responsible Leader sit by, arms folded and allow such to happen in a State that is just wriggling out of many years of insecurity and uncontrolled rampage by violent criminals?

Shouldn’t the protesters, if their cause is righteous, look at the financial and other figures relating to the 6 Tertiary Institutions and make comparisons with others in the same sector even though they are Autonomous and generate revenue which they utilize unencumbered?

How does gathering at major intersections, causing traffic gridlock and harassing innocent passengers on Federal and State Highways aiming to hurriedly take pictures for to be used on social media to paint the state as unsafe help the cause of the students or the state?

How does doing that on a day like today when we all needs to project our state positively like as the flag-off of distribution of 2.2million Insecticidal Mosquito Nets by The US Ambassador help us?

How does doing that on a day the state is hosting a stakeholders meeting on Entertainment, Arts and Culture with a view to developing and harnessing the enormous talents deposited in our teeming youths help?

How can any Kogite be happy to demarket the State no matter their grievances?

I urge protesting students to look at the figures and ask the right questions so that the roles of the Government in the logjam can be separated from the roles of others, so blame (if any) can be properly apportioned.

Let those who have the power convene their Congress and agree to return to work so Students can resume and make meaning of their lives.

This Government remains committed to meeting her responsibilities.

✔She is granting open access to all stakeholders, especially Students.

✔There is general Infrastructure revolution across the State.

✔Ensuring our Resources is utilized for our people as against butchering it like an Elephant for eventual sharing amongst the so called “big boys” who probably don’t know what it means to struggle through school and get a defendable Certificate.

No other Government has worked as hard to foster the One United Kogi Spirit where we see ourselves as one and refuse to be divided by self-centered elements.

As a Comrade and a former Student Leader, and now a Government official I should know better and I can tell on this particular occasion the Students have put their anger and energy to the wrong quarters. But Government will keep its effort up to ensure we get the Students back to School.

The Administration of His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello will not be distracted from her mission of leading Kogi State in a New Direction of Peace and Prosperity through Good Governance. Those who want to cause chaos and mayhem, people motivated by a desire to see Kogi State fail can only try, we will make sure that they fail.

Many thanks for circulating my number 07088698212. Its increases my circle of friends I need to menthor for Leadership roles not Thuggery.

-Edward Onoja.
Is the Chief of Staff
To Kogi State Governor.
Can be reached on
07088698212 and on twitter
@ed_onoja
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It is no longer news that the governor of Kogi state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who hitherto was seen in the political circle as providential, thus politically inept, a small fry, a greenhorn and a tenderfoot, has proven his critics wrong, proving himself to be not just a young kingmaker and a political juggernaut but also, a bulldozing gladiator and a force to be reckoned with in politics.
The past few weeks have seen this new “kid” in the block dazzling his critics, uprooting, disparaging and dismantling the structures of a renowned Nigerian’s south west political schemer and strategist of all time, Olushola Mimiko, a man dubbed as the Iroko of the south west politics.
The choice of the name Iroko to describe this strong political tactician may not be unconnected to an interesting characteristic of the tree, rot resistance. Iroko is very durable, and is resistant to both rot and insect attack. Indeed Olusegun Mimiko has from his days at the Labour party being a force to be reckoned with. He has been defiant to all political maneuvers aimed at getting rid of him and making him irrelevant; consequently, he has proven indefatigable and unbeatably impervious, a nightmare to politician’s foes. Haven demystified and deflated such credentials by this 41 years old unassuming politician, It is now proven that, political sagacity does not come with your long foray in political warfare but with brains, intelligence and zeal, attributes the Kogi state governor has displayed lately.


Following the young governor’s activities of late, it is apparently perceptible that Yahaya Bello is a very practical politician, who matches words with appropriate proportion of actions. Everywhere he went and everything he does, there is pragmatism in his approaches. While others who partook in the falling of the Iroko, either delegated responsibilities, or worked through proxies, or from the comfort of their offices at Abuja, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, was the GOC commanding the political infantries and combatants that wrecked the havoc to the core of the Iroko’s trunk . He was on ground in Ondo state to garner support for Rotimi Akeredolu, moving from enclaves to enclaves. The most interesting and calculative tactical manover and moves he deployed was to identify with the sizable number of non-indigenes of Ondo state that formed a larger percentage of the voting population, having he had one-on-one contact with them, with the intent of capturing the core of their hearts.
His pragmatism can also be seen in many instances, one of such was demonstrated sometime last week when the young governor led security operatives to dislodge trailers that barricaded the Lokoja-Abuja road, causing heavy traffic logjam, due to a fracas between the Nigeria army operatives and tanker drivers. Entreaties were made by serving Generals in the army and very influential personalities which fell on deaf ears until the governor, upon the request of the warring trailer drivers arrived the scene. He didn’t leave the scene until around 11pm when all issues were resolved and all gridlocks removed and traffic restored.

Before his assumption to office, it was a truism that Kogi state civil service was one of the most fantastically corrupt civil services in the country. Its workforce is ghost worker laden to the tone of 40%. Attempts made by previous administrations to right this trend has always gone over the bar and met stiff resistant. The processes are either intentionally scuttled, compromised or government lacking the political will to implement submitted report. Upon assumption into office, the first step of the governor was to make sure, these ghosts are sent back to their graves to rest in peace. Initially, it felt like it would be business as usual, but for the determination and doggedness, the process would have been jettisoned owing to pressure emanating from various quarters to outright condemnation and attack on the governor’s personality by perceived beneficiaries of the long term largess. Kogi state wouldn’t have had it better. Within a short while, it is expected that the practical steps and approach of this young governor, would begin to yield positively for the people of Kogi state. At the moment as I write, the young governor has ordered the payment of all outstanding salaries owned civil servants as promised by him that he would not carry over any payment into the incoming year.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. states “One of the great liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain awake through great periods of social change. Every society has its protectors of status quo and its fraternities of the indifferent who are notorious for sleeping through revolutions. Today, our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change.”
Succinctly put, age in politics is a serious and important yardstick for performance and achieving results. There is the power to go the extra mile, there is the ability to think outside the box, the brain is fully functional at its maximum and there is the adventure or venturing to do things in a different way. It is believed that only unserious people would do a process over and over failing expecting different results. Except there is a daring breakaway from the past logics that have failed, there can be no forward movement. It takes a daring and adventurous young man to get result in the multi-tasking society that we are in and that’s why the young governor is faing the tide. No wonder shakepsre said, there is a tide “There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures”

This is a metaphorical expression, the use of which we often find in literature and everyday life. In our lives, we get ebbs and flows; however, we, sometimes, are unable to recognize whether the tide is an opportunity or an obstacle. It is up to us how we avail it as an opportunity or an obstacle. An elderly person can give this wise suggestion to the younger ones, as it contains beauty of thought about availing themselves of the opportunity. It only takes a young man to take action because he has the strength and abilities.

It takes courage and strength to face the tide, if Kogi must progress, it needs to support this 41 years old. He has the “can-do” mien. He leads from the front and not the back.
His unscheduled visits to many of the states ministries and parastatals, presents a man who does not sit down in his office and work by the reports submitted to his desk by his appointees. Rather he goes out to inspect and supervises so as to rake in, first hand information about happing in his domain.

Finally, the 41 year old governor has a penchant for the people of Kogi state. Wherever he finds himself, he puts off the toga of executiveness then mingles with his people. No wonder, during the Edo gubernatorial elections held in the month of September, Yahaya Bello was often times found in the cluster of his people at Igarra, Auchi, Uromi etc. He repeated, the same act was repeated during the Ondo election that found the young governor yet again in the midst of his people in areas like Owo. It takes one who has the love of his people and humility bto seek out for them wherever he finds himself.
For the first time since the creation of Kogi state, Kogi just got it self a complete leader, the onus lies on the people to give him the much needed support to him so he can deliver, because he has all the impetus to do so, like he has replicated in Edo and Ondo respectfully.



Williams Charles Oluwatoyin
Is a Media and Communications Consultant.
wlmcharles@yahoo.co.uk

In a bid to start fulfilling Governor Yahaya Bello's New Direction blueprint promises, Governor Bello on Monday, November 7, flagged off the construction and rehabilitation of
major roads in Ijumu, Mopa, Yagba East and Yagba West Local Government Areas of Kogi State. The governor was represented at the flag-off by both the Commissioner for Finance and Head, Kogi State Economic Team Alhaji Asiwaju Asiru Idris, (AAA) and Commissioner for Works, Engr. Abdulmumuni Sadiq.

Addressing the gleeful people present at the ceremony, The Honorable Commissioner for Works, Engineer. Abdulmumuni Sadiq described the road rehabilitation flag off as a positive sustainable development, triumph of the people's tenacity, victory for all and a fall out of the collective aspirations of stakeholder to see that the needful is done on the road, by making it motorable. He said the work will commence in a week's time. He subsequently commended Governor Yahaya Bello - led State Government for the prompt action.
In his remark, Honorable Asiwaju, while speaking, stated that the projects were the fulfillment of governor Bello's campaigns promises. He advised people of the community to give contractors handling the project the maximum support.
“This is in fulfillment of Governor Yahaya Bello's campaign promises. More would follow as the administration progresses. The government of the day will continue to do its best for its people," said Asiwaju.

Asiwaju added that the project is noble and commendable, in view of the socio-economic importance of the roads to Okun economic development. He noted that the neglect of the roads in the past had numerous negative effects on the people. Stressing that this laudable work will further usher in remarkable prosperities to the land. He hence called on the good people of Yagba East and Ijumu to continue supporting the government in the spotlight.
The Administrator of Ijumu LGA and The ALGON Chairman, Hon. Taofiq Isah, while speaking on behalf of the entire 21 LGA in Kogi State and the Okun communities, praised the leadership of the state governor, for considering the fact that continuing using the road in such bad condition can render it comatose. He urged everyone to put in efforts to take Kogi State to an enviable height.
Responding, The Agbana of Isanlu Land and Chairman, Yagba Traditional Council, HRM, Oba (Dr) Aaron Adi Ikuborije, said his joy knows no bound seeing this gigantic step taken by the state government, and therefore called on the entire people of Isanlu to accord the workers the necessary love, cooperation and care at their arrival. The Oba assured his unrelenting support and prayers for the present administration.
Adding, The Isanlu Progressive Union President, Mr Friday Oni, described the flag off ceremony as a milestone development in the history of Isanlu, and congratulated The Honorable Administrator of Yagba East LGA, Hon. Abdulrasaq Asiru Ijagbemi, who hosted the ceremony, for having this giant project as an additional feather to his cap. Mr Oni said the road rehabilitation when completed will zoom in more enormous symbolic significance of success and an unending - enduring relationship between the government and the good people of Yagba East LGA. He said he is without mincing words greatly elated.

Also present at the flag off ceremony are The special Adviser political Hon. Pius Kolawole, The Honorable Administrator of Kabba, Hon. Olorunleke Moses, The Honorable Administrator of Mopa, Hon. Sunday Moses, The Honorable Administrator of Yagba West, Hon. Timi Joseph, other government appointees, the press and others.

Dazed by the incontestable rulings of the Supreme Court judgment in favour of Governor Yahaya Bello, the faleke camp has not lost sleep yet over their loss. News can authoritatively gathered that the camp has been having series of secretes meetings spearheaded by Tom Ohikere, Duro Meseko and Isah Daniels, whose primary aim is fashioning out how the group will reclaim the deputy governorship seat and remove possible stumbling blocks ahead 2019 elections that may jettison the aspiration of the group producing the next governor in view of the olive branch extended to it by the Governor. The group came up with very clandestine and exasperating conditions for reconciliation.

News gathered from very reliable and credible source that the major agenda in other of preference is reclaiming the deputy governorship slot it lost carelessly. Various legal consultations were made to search for loopholes and loose ends to which they can hold unto as justifiable reasons to achieving their end legally but it ended in zilch as they were told of the impossibility of getting Mr. Achuba out of office through the law court. On further probe, it was agreed upon that the best available option was through the legislature of the Kogi House of Assembly headed by an All Progressive Congress member and this was credited to the allusion that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has the highest numbers of legislatures in that chamber and so could cause an upset.

The conditions arrived at by the trio of Hon Duro Meseko, Dr. Tom Ohikere and Isah Daniel (DG Audu campaign) to be presented to governor Yahaya Bello as conditions for reconciliation are as follows:
(1) Return the deputy governorship slot to the group
(2) Remove Hon. Edward Onoja as Chief of Staff
(3) Cabinet reshuffle to accommodate 7 of their team as Commissioners and others as SA’s and SSA’s, Heads of Boards, Parastatal and Commissions

Also, the group amongst others demanded that some top appointees and commissioners be sacked. These commissioners are perceived not to be card carrying members of the party. They are:
1) Mrs Folashade Ayoade Secretary to the State Government
2) Mrs Folashade Amupitan, Commissioner for women affairs
3) Mr Oloruntoba Kehinde, Commissioner for Budget and planning
4) Mrs Rosemary Osikoya, Commissioner Environment

Ironically, these set of appointees have been very active and performing their duties to the best of their ability and have garnered the admiration of the Kogi state people.

As the call for cabinet reshuffle or the deputy governor’s removal is not justifiable, the call for the removal of the Chief of staff is even more repugnant having no connection with the terms of reference of the group. However, it was deduced from our source that, the group alleged that the Chief of Staff has been over empowered by the governor and as such preparing him to take over after his tenure expires, a move that would counter productive and not favourable to the Faleke group and so it is expedient he is butted out by hook or crook as soon as possible.

Whether the young governor popularly called the White Lion would accent to the egocentric demands of this group and remove his “twin” brother, or remove performing member of his cabinet is the story that awaits to be told another day.

Different and rabble-rousing articles have littered the cyber space of late, posted on news blogs whose integrities and popularities are questionable and nothing to write home about, written by dubious, contentious and controversial personalities whose ink only flow as money flows and the argument is who should be or should not be the real occupant of Lugard house after 2oth of September. Majority of these articles are spurious with clear intent to blackmail the sensibility of the Supreme Court, twisting its arms of Justice into submission, thereby delivering judgment in favour of the same political cabal who have constituted themselves as nuisance and supreme Lords over Kogi politics and has held the stage captive for over 16 years.

It is a fact that before the swearing into office of Alhaji Yahaya Bello, Kogi state was at a metastasis cancerous state of collapse and comatose. It was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode at the maturity or expiration of the accumulated mess that previous government has created. The whole polity was in a disorder. The civil service was grappling with Ghost worker syndrome, while its Local Government arm was not left out of the horrifying state of muddle. There were abandoned projects littering everywhere, a few set of families, people and groups, lorded over the majority of the people. Poverty was palpable all around Kogi state and coupled with the famine of physical development or a way forward out of the malignant and bleak state.

It was based on the above premises that the people of Kogi state haven reached their Witt ends said NO to oppression, suppression and retrogression and for the love of the state and waited to revolt at the polls with their thumbs and Alhaji Yahaya Bello opted to run for the Office of the governor of Kogi State. Prior to the primary elections, Alhaji Yahaya Bello went round the 21 Local Government areas of Kogi State, not just canvassing for supports but taking into cognizance the myriads of problems that beleaguered various areas and harmed with these facts, he had a clear idea of what the problems of the people were. Unfortunately as it was, he came runner up and most unfortunately also, the man who was to lead Kogi state out of doldrums and shackles of deprivation of the peoples common patrimony from this group of cabal answered the call of nature. There after the sole responsibility to continue the race naturally from where Late Prince Abubakar Audu Stopped fell on the laps of Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

On assumption of office, Alhaji Yahaya Bello hit the ground running. Before any business, a committee was set up to go round the 21 Local government areas to have a comprehensive assessment and NEEDs of the people. The report was thereafter packaged as the states #NewDirection blueprints, which comprises of 5 core thematic areas that this government intend to make giant stride in:
1) Education for all
2) Health is wealth
3) Job creation and youth engagement
4) Infrastructure and utilities development
5) Productive civil servants and pension reforms
This is unprecedented in the history of Kogi state, as no previous government in the last 25 years had drawn up a one page road map for development, but the administration of Yahaya Bello. The next important action is sanitizing the civil service with an over bloated wage bill due to the activities of ghost workers. It is note worthy that various governments before this had embarked on civil service staff verification exercises, of note is the Sally Tibbot screening exercise that spans over 8 months but remained inconclusive and here, screened ghost workers like demon came back in their droves. To be able attain the plan of the Alhaji Yahya Bello’s for a productive civil service reforms, the ghosts have to go off the payroll. A scenario where a civil servant has been promoted 3 consecutive time without corresponding increment in his or salary because monies meant for increments have either been light-fingered away of leaked out of the system, this and others were source of worry, the ghost were having a field day over the real civil servants, choking and stagnating them from developing and putting in their best to the system. Hence the need to do a thorough weeding of ghost workers became imperative. The government went into it not minding stepping on toes of cabals. It has not been easy for Kogi civil servant, courtesy Ghost workers, the government is mindful of these but according to Late Aminu Kano, One must scratch that part of the body or mind that itches.

Within these 8 months alone, the government of Alhaji Yahaya Bello aside from progress made with the staff verification exercise and hundred of million of naira saved, had blocked all forms of financial drains and leakages within the State where people pilfered income that ought to be accrued to the state treasury from private accounts, notably is the indiscriminate Forestry activities and the none remittance of government dues from produce to Kogi state coffers by cabals.
The government is also making concerted efforts in bringing in foreign and local investors so as to boost our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and rely less on Federal Allocations that is bringing the state to its knee and backward developmentally. Worthy of mention is the financial autonomy granted to the Local Government Areas and the Kogi State Board of Internal Revenue (KSBIR). Of key note also is the remobilizing of contractors of abandoned projects back to site across the state. Sequel to this is the compilation of a comprehensive Blueprint and the bottom up approach of people need as in the New Direction Blue Print. Lastly, before assumption to office and the early stage of assuming office, Kogi state was notorious and known as den for robbers and kidnappers, due to its nodal nature and borders to many states. Kidnapping and robbery happens on a daily basis but as it stands today as I write, there have been no report of robbery or kidnapping because Governor Yahaya Bello has equipped the military and paramilitary with state of the art gadgets and hardware and charged them to combat crime to zero level

Change is painful but inevitable to achieving greatness and if we must grow, we stop malingering around the same vicious circles and deceit that has not paid off in 16 years. Late Aminu Kano said “The road to freedom is full of thorns and fire, yet happy is he who follows it!” For Kogi state to be liberated from shackles of stagnation and oppression, continuity of the Alhaji Yahaya Bello government is very pivotal to getting it right in Kogi. Scuttling the giant strides already achieved by this administration would set the state many years backward. Tthe cabal and hoards and battalions of ghosts workers will take over the civil services of Kogi and continually milk the state dry till it no longer become viable to run as a state.

The good people of Kogi state should as a matter of urgency refuse the desperations of these cabals, who have made governance their birth rights, in their eyes; no man is good enough to be governor hence they would frustrate him or her who emerges. Late Aminu Kano must have foreseen that this ugly trend would be a political bane in Kogi state of today when he said “Nigeria will never ever know peace until the Son of Nobody becomes somebody without knowing anybody”.

For as many who may not make it through the appeal committee, the government has made a promise to make the primary beneficiaries from the skill acquisition and empowerment schemes that would take off shortly, as it has promised to carry everybody along! The people of Kogi state and the Supreme Court must say no to these horrendous professional blackmailing of the vultures waiting in the offing to feast on our collective patrimony.


Williams Charles Oluwatoyin
wlmcharles@yahoo.co.uk
Writes from Lokoja

For any rural community to develop and grow into mega urban centers, it is imperative that such communities are fully electrified. It is therefore not an understatement to state that the poverty that has ravaged and bedeviled our people in this part of the world is due to lack of sustainable electricity. 80% of Kogi state rural dwellers are without electricity.

Rural areas are often at a disadvantage in terms of access to electricity. Reasons being, the high cost of providing this service in low populated, remote places with difficult terrain and low consumption result in rural electricity schemes that are usually more costly to implement than urban schemes. In addition, low rural incomes can lead to problems of affordability; hence, the government of Kogi state decided that rural electrification is non negotiable, primary and therefore placed is top on its scale of preference with high premium.
To this end, various communities in the rural areas of the state have started benefiting from the governments rural electrification scheme. The commissioner for Rural Development of Kogi state, Hon Enema Paul has been moving from one benefiting community to the other, supervising distributions and installations of transformer, supplied by his ministry.

Benefiting communities are:
1. CBN Area 1 community electrification at zone 8
2. Transformer installations and connection to high tension lines, ongoing at Kogi State Hajj commission, Lokoja
3. Transformer distribution and connection to the following places
a. Otokiti estate
b. Army signal
c. RCCG region 24 areas of Lokoja
4. Inozi/Ageva Okene Rural electrification works and connection to national grid.

Candidate in the middle of an election, even when the candidate had become permanently indisposed, by the reason of death can be substituted.
The right to substitute party candidate in an election was adequately provided for in section 221 of the Nigeria constitution 1999 as amended especially when it's read in community with sections 33 and 36 of the electoral act of 2010 as amended.
Section 33 of the electoral law allows for substitution of candidate by political party, while section 36, subsection 1 provides for the period and consequential relief’s that should follow the substitution.

This is where LEGISLATIVE INTENTIONS comes in.
One of the strongest factors to consider in the interpretation of statutes under the common law jurisdictions is LEGISLATIVE INTENTIONS, that's reading into what could possibly be the wishes or intentions of the legislators at the time of drafting the said statutes or law.
The right questions at this juncture should be,what was the state of mind of Nigeria legislators that drafted the 1999 constitution and the electoral law with their amendments, at the time of writing those laws?
Were they drunk?
were they sadists?
Or were they seniles? that all the rights and privileges so enjoyed by a leading political party, with a victory bound candidate like APC and the late Prince Abubakar Audu,to be EXTINGUISHED, simply because the candidate died in the middle of an election?.
This is a serious factor that MUST be considered by the jurists in the determination of this case.

I know justice Halimat as a first class jurist of TRUTH,IN FACT AND ON THE BENCH,I don't expect her to void a popular mandate on the mere fact of SEMANTICS, ipso facto, ipso jure!
Let's look at it the other way round. If not God Almighty ,who had resolved the matter the way He did, and the APC had made the mistake of fielding Faleke instead of Bello, what will be our lot in kogi state? a long drawn legal battle that would have brought Bello into government in the Amaechi fashion.
Again, Rotimi Amaechi vs PDP supra refers, and also check Njoku vs Goodluck Jonathan in the eligibility suite against president Jonathan in the wake of 2015 presidential election.
4.Finally on the electoral process being compromised in the favour of APC.I have heard the rhetoric’s of some forensic evidence (from the moon) to prove that the said election was rigged in favour of APC, that some electoral materials meant for another state was found in kogi, and was used illegally for APC.

I was in kogi state at the time of campaigns and all through the elections, and it was glaring to all reasonable members of the society to see that governor Wada ,as he then was, was going to have a great fall at the elections, which he indeed had, he suffered a massive defeat in the hands of the electorate.
If indeed it's proven that such incidence happened at the elections, then it must be minimal, because we all saw the popularity of APC and her candidate at the election and the issue of non-compliance being raised cannot be used to void Bello's election.
Under the applicable laws, compliance at elections is not TOTAL,but SUBSTANTIAL, Muhammadu Buhari vs Olusegun Obasanjo is a case in point. In the case of kogi gubernatorial elections,PDP vs APC,the non-compliance is NOT sufficiently SUBSTANTIAL to void the election of Bello.

Beyond the beautiful drama at the tribunal by chief Olanipekun and Chris Uche all SAN, the media hype and the exuberance of the ignorant few as it were,I personally do not see a contrary outcome in the cases.


Ujah Simon
Writes from
Kogi State

Objective journalism is simply reporting issues without disparity or bias. The moments a media outfit denigrates and malign a personality with libelous article title and hypocritical, two-faced duplicitous contents, such a media outfit has thrown integrity to the air and has no Journalistic values left. Objectivity calls for journalists to develop a consistent method of testing information, a transparent approach to evidence. Premium Times article titled “How Kogi Governor, Bello, squandered over N260 million ‘security vote’ days after assuming office” is merely a bogus expression of falsehood and ignorance!

While hurriedly scribbling down the article, with the intent to do the damage on Alhaji Yahaya Bello’s government and personality, common sense gave way to folly and idiocy, making the write-up inconsistent and susceptible to thorough scrutiny.
PREMIUM TIMES claims it cannot say exactly how much has so far been spent as security funds, but documents obtained so far indicate that between January 27 and May 12, Kogi State taxpayers could have coughed out billions to their profligate governor. If Premium Times can not say the exact amount that has been spent so far on security allowance, why publish half backed story? What are its intentions for publishing a story that would appear incomplete, which cannot back with 100% evidential facts? What sort of Journalism is that?
Premium Times in its haste to do the biding of the sponsor, failed to tell readers of the despicable article, the exact amount budgeted for security vote in Kogi State and if the state government overshot the budget. Security is a very expensive venture. Except one sit on that sit, one will merely be speculating on the cost involved in securing lives and property under ones watch. As the Chief Security officer of his state, His Excellency would not toy with the security of his indigenes. His Excellency would also never approve a penny above the voted security allowance as indirectly peddled by Premium Times.
Did Premium Times take out time to do a clear analysis of the security situation of the state before the inauguration of His Excellency and many months after?
Bellow is the concise chart of kidnapping cases as reported in Kogi State between the months of January through May

S/n Month Occurrences
1 January 16
2 February 14
3 March 12
4 April 12
5 May 3

The above table makes obvious, that His Excellency has been on his toes as regards kidnapping. The chart shows that occurrences of kidnapping dropped consistently and continuously from January till date. Still on security, it is heart warming to know that, Kogi state is one of the safest state in the Federation, with isolated cases of Boko Haram and Herdsmen attacks. The state security operatives with support from His Excellency, has been able to curtail the excesses of the rampaging herdsmen and Islamic extremist. Incidences in the state cannot be compared to what was obtainable in places like Agatu in Benue state. In Kogi state, the causality rates of the rampaging herdsmen and Boko Haram extremist have either been one or zero death.
The big question is, What is Premium Times up to? Trying to garner false opinion against the government of Alhaji Yahaya Bello from the public? It would hit the walls. The works of His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello will rubbish such deviousness. The Kogi State government would also not be hoodwinked into submitting to any form of media blackmail.
The opposition and conniving media outfits can do well as good citizens by reporting issues bothering on security to appropriate authority for actions rather than rabble rousing.
Premium Times is therefore encouraged to play objective journalism and star clear of “media-ganstarism” with purported looters of Kogi’s commonwealth, because either they like it or not, the will refund all loots.

Williams Charles Oluwatoyin
Writes From, Lokoja

visit for more pictures. Pictures dont tell lies!

http://williamscharles..com.ng/2016/03/this-is-sealed-and-heavily-guarded-kogi.html

GOODWILL MESSAGE BY HIS EXCELLENCY, ALHAJI YAHAYA BELLO, GOVERNOR OF KOGI STATE TO THE 3RD ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS OF THE CORONATION OF THE ATTAH IGALA, HIS ROYAL MAJESTY, IDAKWO MICHAEL AMEH OBONI II ON 26TH MARCH, 2016 AT THE ROYAL PALACE, IDAH, KOGI STATE

Protocols

AGABA-IDU!

AGABA-IDU!

AGABA-IDU!

Today is indeed a great day in Kogi State. Attah Igala, the biggest masquerade in the land is dancing and the whole world has turned out to marvel at the rare sight. Nigerians from all over the nation, friends and tourists from foreign lands and other categories of people too numerous to mention are in this multitude. I am therefore honoured to be here today and to join this joyous throng in celebrating our royal father, the Monarch of all Igalaland.

His Royal Majesty comes from a most illustrious lineage in the ruling houses of Igalaland. His father, the first Ameh Oboni, exemplified sacrificial and foresighted leadership of the sort that our land desperately needs again. He fought the battles of his people and when the time came he looked into the future and took hard decisions designed to favour generations yet unborn. We are gathered here today mainly as a result of those decisions.

It is the bane of our nation Nigeria, and our state Kogi, that we have had people at the helm of affairs whose only thought is for their own belly. The result has been disastrous as you all know. At the centre the nation is wobbling from the misgovernance of yesterday. In Kogi, the state is tottering from mistakes of the past. If only our past leaders conducted themselves like Ameh Oboni I and superintended our commonwealth for the benefit of posterity!

His Royal Majesty, Ameh Oboni II has the foresight and forthrightness of his father. When we visited the Palace to seek his royal blessings during our gubernatorial campaigns, we probably did not look like much. We were contending with giants but His Royal Majesty saw something in us that others did not. He received us with royal courtesy and utmost civility. He listened to us. Somehow he saw the fire in our eyes and discerned the passion in our souls for a New Direction for Kogi State. We promised him accelerated development for his Kingdom and the rest of Kogi State.

In his royal response, His Royal Majesty addressed us as his children. He charged us to be bold and courageous and to go forth as befits the children of a lion. He told us to expect divine help. We promised to be detribalized. The rest, as they say, is history. We went forth courageously; we entered every part of Kogi and we sold our candidature. In the end, by the uniqueness of what only the Almighty can orchestrate, we are governing today.

We promised Your Royal Majesty that we shall be detribalized and we are making every attempt to live up to that promise. I took the Oath of Office 59 days ago. Immediately after the event I appointed right-hand man, Edward Onoja as my Chief of Staff. Your Royal Majesty, he is one of your subjects from Odidoko – Emonyokwu, Ogugu District, Olamaboro L.G.A of Kogi State. This is the first time a Governor in Kogi State has filled that sensitive position with someone from outside his tribe. Chief Simeon Achuba, our hardworking Deputy Governor, is also from your Kingdom.

In our other appointments and actions in Office we have made sure that there is something for every part of the State. Many more are yet to come. The principles of merit and proportionate equity shall continue to guide us, both in appointments and in execution of projects. I am ready to work with anyone who believes with me that Kogi can be greater and follows my lead in actualizing it.

A legend of Igalaland has it that when another direct descendant of Ameh Oboni the First sits again on the Throne as Attah of Igala, Igalaland will see unprecedented development. Your Royal Majesty, you are that direct descendant. By the grace of God, I am the Governor who will fulfill that prophecy. I promised Your Royal Majesty that we will develop Igalaland as rapidly and as extensively as resources and equity to all parts of Kogi will allow. We have started, and insha Allah, we shall finish as well.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are in Office at a time when the needs of our people require urgent actions. I can tell you that we are deploying action as fast as we can. The Igala people have a saying that, ‘daybreak begins in the morning, not in the evening’. They also say that ‘when the cook does the right things from the very beginning, the food cannot be tasteless’. I agree with both adages. We are resolved to begin early and to take the right actions from the very beginning in order to ensure that as the day progresses on our Administration, the food that we cook for our consumption in Kogi State is both tasty and spicy.

On 24th March, 2016, exactly 57 days of our assuming Office, we paid the second batch of salaries to all civil servants in Kogi State whose nominal roll was forwarded and guaranteed by the heads of their parastatals or offices. That is two months’ salaries in less than two months! The sad thing is that not all MDAs of the Kogi State Civil Service could forward a nominal roll which the heads thereof could guarantee to be free of ghosts. How does a leader not know people who are physically working in his unit? I leave the reasons for such strange occurrences to your imagination.

I can only say that the revelations thrown up so far by our screening exercise to flush out ghost-workers from the Kogi State payroll has more than justified the rationale for it. We will not relent until every ghost-worker has been exorcised from our payroll and their wicked alter egos found and punished. We will succeed better in these and other civil service reforms with the support of Your Royal Majesty and your subjects.

Our aim is to bring target-specific projects to each community and by working hard and relying on the grace of God, we will do so. Our Blueprint Team has sent questionnaires to every nook and cranny of the State. They have toured nearly all the local government areas and engaged political officeholders, traditional rulers, community leaders, women groups, farmers’ cooperatives, youths, students, etc. They are receiving firsthand information on the exact projects needed by almost every community. Anywhere they have not yet reached in the last 3 weeks since they started work, they will reach in the next one or two weeks.

Your Royal Majesty, and Kogi People from every part of the state, we must require that you trust us, that you work with us. We will not try your patience unduly so you will be seeing some quick-wins as we go. However, some things will require a little bit of time to get done, we ask you to give us some time in those circumstances. All in all, we are working to make Government work for each and every one of our people.

I cannot end this speech without condoling again with Your Royal Majesty and the Igala People on the sudden and tragic fall of some of the mightiest Iroko trees in your forests. The deaths of Prince Abubakar Audu and James Ocholi, SAN are two of the worst tragedies to befall Kogi State. One can only imagine the impact on their native Igalaland and people. Again we condole with you. Be assured that we stand with you in faith, both in the day of prayers recently consecrated by Your Royal Majesty and in the trust that we will not see the like again.

AGABA-IDU! Today is your day. We celebrate you. The last three years have been eventful, but you have proven yourself as the father of all across Kogi State and beyond. I felicitate with you on behalf of the people of Kogi State. Your days, by the grace of the Almighty will be many, they will be fruitful and they will be prosperous. Long may you reign on the Throne of your fathers. May your people find peace, unity and unprecedented greatness under you.

May God bless His Royal Majesty, Idakwo Michael, Ameh Oboni the Second!

May God bless the Ancient and Great Igala Kingdom!

May God bless Kogi State!

May God bless Nigeria!

AGABA-IDU!

AGABA-IDU!

AGABA-IDU!

Thank you one and all.

The Kogi State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja was on Tuesday told that Governor Yahaya Bello’s voter card actually carried an Abuja address.

Onoja Edward, a star witness in the Kogi State governorship election dispute, told the Justice Halima Muhammad-led tribunal that Bello had applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission for the transfer of the card back to Lokoja.
The witness, who is the Chief of Staff to the Governor and Director of Strategies for Bello’s Campaign, gave the testimony while being cross-examined by the Counsel to the petitioner, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN).
According to the witness: “I detest impunity.
“I also detest fraud.
“I will not encourage impunity or fraud in governance.
“The voter card of the 2nd respondent, Bello, carries the address of Abuja, but we have applied for transfer and we are yet to get the approval.
“Although, the names on INEC nomination form is bearing Abubakar Audu and James Faleke upon the request by the 2nd respondent party, that is the All Progressives Congress after the death of Audu, the 2nd respondent submitted his nomination form to INEC.
“Also, Exhibit R6 is a document which pronounces the election to run from November 2015 to December 2015.”
The witness also told the tribunal that Faleke was a running mate throughout the election period and that he had never been an independent candidate in the Kogi State election.
Edward said 28 candidates contested for the Kogi State primary election of the All Progressives Congress and the petitioner was not part of the candidates that contested.

“The total of 6,885 votes was secured by APC in the December 5 supplementary election and there was no cancellation of votes in the 91 polling units across the state,” the witness added.
Edward also told the tribunal when he was being cross-examined by the INEC counsel, Alex Izinyon, (SAN), that Bello obtained the second best result in the primary election and that was why he was considered to represent the party after Audu’s death.
“Seven hundred and three is the scores Bello had during the primary and 1,109 was Audu’s scores and there was never a time the petitioner was an independent candidate.
“The petitioner had never been sent as an independent candidate all through the electioneering process.
“He had been a running mate all through the election.”

Izinyon had earlier told the tribunal that he had no witness to call but documents to tender in relation to the election.
Some of the documents used for the election were tendered by the INEC Counsel and they were all admitted and marked as exhibits.
While being led in evidence-in-chief by Counsel to Bello, Joseph Daudu, the witness adopted all his statements on oath.
The tribunal, however, adjourned further hearing until April 6 in Faleke’s petition.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the tribunal also adjourned till March 22 for the adoption of written address in the petition filed by the retired Captain Idris Wada, the former governor of the state and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the election.
Counsels in Wada’s petition had earlier informed the tribunal that they had filed all necessary documents before the tribunal.

Source NAN.

as in?

chiefolododo:
Don't let us deceive ourselves

There's no doubt that OLANIPEKUN SAN and his Legal team have been good entertainers when it comes to Legal comic. Some of us who had been victims of his legal wits in the ALHAJI JIBRIN ISAH ( ECHOCHO) legal battles with the out gone CAPTAIN IDRIS ICHALLA WADA, are conversant with his taking hopes to the peaks with superior legal arguments and dashing them at the valleys of despair.
I may NOT understand the Legal jargons, but with a COMMON SENSE of the law I understand that. ...
1. The election was declared 'inconclusive' by INEC before the demise of our party's candidate.
2. INEC directed APC to pick a substitute to replace Late Prince Abubakar Audu the party's candidate.
3. After due consultation with constitutional Lawyers, the Attorney General of the Federation the best option that will reduce legal confusion was to settle for a second runner up in the party's primaries, hence the hitherto directive.
4. That Hon. Abiodun Faleke's letter of withdrawal consequent upon seeking redress as the winner of the election was NOT received by INEC before the supplementary election, hence his position never been vacant.
5. That the claims that ALHAJI YAHAYA BELLO went into the supplementary election without a deputy was null and void since the position was never vacant in the eyes of the law.
6. That WADA the second respondent in the case acknowledged ALHAJI YAHAYA BELLO as APC substituted gubernatorial candidate and participated in the supplementary election with him before being defeated cannot feign or claim the alien disposition of Bello in the process.
7. That votes are casted for the party in line with the party's manifesto and hence can be transferred and or inherited.
8. That Certificates of Return were issued by INEC to Alhaji Yahaya Bello and Hon. Abiodun Faleke as governor and deputy governor elect respectively as winners of the supplementary election.
9. That the prevailing legal braggadocio has no precedence in our legal History hence, the need to create a new one by the decision of the Court.
You will all agree with me that the emergence of ALHAJI YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO as governor of Kogi state is by divine providence. And hence, the need to collectively and harmoniously come together to chart a new course for the greater growth of our dear state.
We cannot continually fiddle in legal and political power tussle while our dear Kogi state burn in the furnace of backwardness.
Let's put the interest of the state first and above our personal interest.
Long live ALHAJI YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO

Just Before You Become Governor
AN OPEN LETTER TO ALHAJI YAHAYA BELLO, GOVERNOR-ELECT KOGI STATE


I want to use this medium to congratulate you on your victory at the just concluded supplementary elections. It is a well deserved victory. I am particularly thrilled at the fact that a young vibrant blood has come. To whom much is given, much is expected. However, without mincing words and waiting time, I will hit the nail on the head and it would be expedient not to mince words with you, as I am not used to rubbing hands on the head on very serious issues. The tasks ahead are daunting and frightening. Nevertheless, they are surmountable. Needless to say, I am unshaken in my believe that you will perform, taking my confidence from your unassuming abilities and capabilities in the private sector. I believe that you will surmount the prevailing challenges that have riddled the state and brought her to her knees.

But just before you became the chosen one, there were certain events that played out. The chains of events that culminated to ushering you into the exalted shoes of Prince Abubakar Audu are unprecedented, trendsetter and divine. History was made! These events are clearly beyond the comprehension of even mere beings and are subliminal. Unfortunate as they may seem, they led to your coming, correct me if I am wrong, you are the result of a constitutional logjam and impasse, brewed from the laboratory of due process and sittings of pocket lawyers in the cyber space. Thus you are the solution to a global constitutional lacuna, you are also the first of your kind, the first non Igalla to become the Governor Elect, so, the destiny of a great state, lies on the shoulder of a young Governor Elect, do not forget how you got to where you are today. We may not see God in it but I smell his finger prints all over the place. Give God the glory.

Just before you become governor, it will be imperative to placate aggrieved parties. The heated rouse, debacle and brouhaha your nomination sparked off are still deep sited in the hearts of the aggrieved, who felt short changed. The hearts of humans are deep oceans of secrets, no one can know. In Christianity, we tag what just happened to you as “favour” and according to T.D. Jakes, “favour, aint fair”. Favour is getting what you didn’t sweat for. It’s the prayers we pray day in day out, that God should extend favour to us, it’s undisputable. In dealing with aggrieved parties therefore, let Equity, Fairness and Justice be your yardstick, if you do otherwise, it would be repulsive and repugnant. Did you take a look at the votes accrued from the supplementary elections sir? It decipher that, you are not just going to be Governor over Lokoja or Okene, but over places where you won, Dekina, Ankpa, Bassa, Ibaji and even places you didn’t, at least you got 40-45% votes from there. You got votes from everywhere. You are the Governor Elect of all part of Kogi State.

Unfortunately, I do not have access to you, if I have, the only song you will hear me sing at all time is, Ajaokuta Steel Company. One of our major problems as a nation is short-sightedness. Our old leaders are short sighted and selfish not to have seen oil price fall, why would they? After all they are all criminals, whose eyes do not see beyond the loot they want to pilfer, which is affecting the polity. That is what over dependence on oil has caused us as a nation. If they have had the political will to diversify into steel and revitalize the Ajaokuta steel, we wont be in the mess we are in. Ajaokuta Steel Plant has been tagged as the “Bedrock of Nigeria’s industrialization and a wise government would invest in it. It has been left lying fallow. If it was in the core north, it would be functional. Please, take Ajaokuta as you pet child, use all your contacts to make sure, Ajaokuta rise again and that is why is advice to make use of young intelligent people in your administration, not recycled old men, people who we have been hearing their names right from when I entered primary school in the early 80’s. They are done and worn and in the lay mans language, “dem don expire like moto tyre”

Sequel to this sir, Kogi state is blessed with over 29 mineral resources. Its location and proximity to the Federal Capital Territory is an advantage. It is a hub in the north, it has a river port to its credit, it wont be long that the state would experience an influx of potential investors, only if you will open up the economy of the state. The government seemingly can not do it alone, incorporating the Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative would boost the internally generated revenue of the state which would in turn transcend to infrastructural development and there would be a clear departure from over dependent on Federal Government allocations.

I beg to speak for Lokoja at this juncture! Lokoja my town, my pride. Lokoja the supposed state capital of Kogi is like a woman, whose husband is a multibillionaire and yet, dresses in carcass, what a shame. Lokoja is a shadow of itself, its unkempt, its stinking, its smelling and its rotting, there are potholes everywhere, you cant go round Lokoja without cursing when you hit potholes, you then go back to take pain killers later on, the street light are not just working and so many others. We are always ashamed of bringing our friends to town, why is this so? A class mate ones wrote, whenever I pass through Lokoja, I close my eyes! My village, Ayere , Ijumu LGA is still looking more presentable to a visitor than Lokoja! I want to believe you are a man with taste and that the problems of Lokoja have a place in your notes and its glory as the state capital would be restored, while not forgetting other underdeveloped part of Kogi state!

Another very serious issue is the welfare of the civil servants. I am bias on this, possibly because my parents were once civil servants, I take exception to their cases very seriously and stringently. It is the issue of their bailout fund. The politics that the fund has generated is highly regrettable. There have been accusations of stalling the process for political gain, while there are counter allegations of not applying atal or meeting the conditions of application. All these? not bearing in mind the people it is meant for? I believe that, you will beam you light on the issue and make your workers smile. Woe unto a governor who disrespects his civil servants by playing with their welfare. They would not forgive, from generation to generation!

I can do this all day but let me take a break here for you to peruse through this piece. Before you become Governor sir, please look into the above salient points. They are have been carefully selected after a thorough research. The mantra through which you came into office is CHANGE, please the change be evident within the shortest possible period of time, On a finally note, I urge you not be distracted in the face tons of litigations against you, they may and will cause distractions to you but do not be deterred . Hit the ground running. It is not how long one stay in the office that matters, but how well he affect the lives of the people, take each day as they come and see them as bonus to touch the lives of the people. One with God is a majority, Power belongs to God, and Him that brought you there will fight your battles and you shall hold your peace.



Williams Charles Oluwatoyin
Social Commentator & Critiques
Writes from Lokoja
wlmcharles@yahoo.co.uk

God bless you my brother! God bless you

heheheheheh.... tubaba! well done there bro! you are tru nigerian

heheheheheh.... tubaba! well done there bro! you are tru nigerian

Very soon, hell would be let loose on people who ruined Nigeria, mark my word

rubbish talk. as far as am concerned. goodluck musnt try to contest in 2015

what a disgrace to the williams!