Yahaya Bello, a state governor who squandered over 300 billion Naira in four years without recourse to the principle of transparency and accountability is bickering unjustly.
Worse still, he has no single tangible project to show for it. Sadly, he has resorted to accusing the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)/ Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid – 19 as engaging in commercial business through his uncouth mouth piece, the Kogi State Commissioner of Information, Kingsley Fanwo. Unfortunately, some people are celebrating him including those he has deprived of good governance in Kogi State. Who is fooling who?
While Nigerians are watching the ongoing unending and uncalled for drama between Yahaya Bello and the NCDC/PTF on Covid – 19 with keen interest, the end game remain to be seen.
Even though, Bello seems to be confronting the NCDC, it is crystal clear that his main target is the big men in the Presidential Task Force under which NCDC is operating as far as the Covid-19 pandemic issue is concerned.
It is a grand hypocrisy and a fat lie for that matter that Bello and his men do not believe in the existence of Covid – 19 pandemic that is ravaging the whole world. Ironically, upon his contact with the late former Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari he went into self – isolation and did intensive physical exercise. One of his closest Aide and Chief Press Secretary Onogwu Mohammed Galaticus was so happy after the completion of his boss 14 days isolation and praised God for sparing his life.
However, because the generalty of the people of Kogi State have lost confidence in his administration. Many disillusioned Kogites who ignorantly were grappling with the attendant consequences of Covid – 19 pandemic like the social distancing, lockdown and what have you scenarios. Inadvertently played into the hands of Bello and his men who took advantage of their desires and decided to play to the gallery caring less about the well being of the people. All he wanted was a cheap popularity at the expense of their health in a season of life and death.
Just like Boko Haram issue that often elicit conspiracy theory from people who who not understand the intricacies of fighting Insurgency of asymmetric kind whom presumably had concluded that it is a conduit pipe for siphoning money.
The same theory is being promoted on the Covid-19 war by Yahaya Bello, a sitting APC governor, he has become the leading theorist in this unfortunate postulation.
Obviously, his ultimate target are the big men of PTF and of course the Presidency effort in curtailing the impact of Covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria.
Astonishingly, Yahaya Bello is doing everything to undermine President Buhari and his team at PTF just for his own cheap popularity within Kogi State because he has lost touch with the people due to his abysmal performance since he became the governor. Many questions may suffice, why is Bello doing this? is Bello thinking that his erstwhile godfather did not died of Covid – 19 after all?
Will he be throwing tantrum at Abba Kyari if he is alive and the head of PTF? Is Bello searching for political favour or bitting the finger that continue to feed him? Your guess is as good as mine.
It is amazing that despite the testimony from the Chief Imam of Kabba family, Bello’s men continue with their barrage of lies that it was a phantom discovery and that Covid-19 cannot exist in Kogi State.
What a height delusion? As if he truly has the interest of the people of Kogi State at heart.
Reflection of Unmerited Favor.
Nigerians and Kogites have not forgotten the circumstances that led to Bello’s unmerited emergence through the backdoor. How he inherited Late Abubakar Audu’s vote from the blues. Has he forgotten how his erstwhile godfather, Abba Kyari influenced President Buhari to released 30 Billion Naira left over of bail out fund which was denied the former administration, Is it the refund of federal road repairs by previous administration and the 10 billion that was released a week to the 2019 Governorship Election in Kogi State.
Yet, Bello was only capable of the deployment of fake policemen who connived with regular Nigeria’s Policemen who took electoral malfeasance to another level by using helicopter to disperse voters. Ghastly, this was of unheard of anywhere in the world in the history of electoral contest! What about INEC that was bent on subverting the will of the people, with 6 senior INEC officials and Prof. Pam, an acclaimed professor like other of his ilks who became willing tools. Prof Pam threw away every modicum of deciency but rather preferred to put the electoral destiny and future of the people for sale to the highest bidder. Coupled with unimaginable brigandage that characterized the election. Gruesomely,it is on record that innocent blood was spill before, during and after the election.
Amidst, all odds Bello was declared the winner of an election that Engr Musa Wada was clearly by far the choice of the majority of Kogi State electorate.
The Election Petition Tribunal Judges that supposedly were to dispense justice after the overwhelming electoral charade and evidences which abound. However, the power that be with instructions to Justice Bulkachuwa to ensure Bello undeservedly sail through the Tribunal verdict nominated those who can easily be conciliate. Unremarkably, an administration of President Buhari who reckoned as Mai Gaskiya (Mr Integrity). What an abberation?
Reliable sources confirmed that during the inauguration of the Election Petition Tribunal Judges, a brand Prado Jeep and 2 modern Hilux were handed over to the team.
Even with inducement, it was difficult to tag justice with price. Until the death of Yobe State Chief Justice prompted the promise of making the Chairman the next Chief Justice by the Yobe State Governor, one of Bello’s godfather and Katsina State Governor where one of the Tribunal members came from is a friend with Bello and of course, the third member from Edo State where Adams Oshiomhole was supposed to be easily influenced but the Deeper Life Church member preferred justice above any pecuniary consideration.
Despite the entreaties for injustice, it was difficult to short change justice due to the overwhelming odds against Bello. Until Katsina State Governor made several calls to thwart justice.
Justice Kaigama who already bought the pie hook and sinker needed a second person to play along in order to finish the devious job of selling justice.
Astonishingly, the same Bello is making unfounded insinuations about the Presidency backed NCDC/PTF while pretending to be advancing the interest of Kogites who continue to live miserably under his administration.
Infact, the palliative items brought to Kogi State by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management are missing. The bags of rice and other items which were supposed to be shared among the people has been diverted. If Bello truly in the welfare of Kogi State people, how come the diversion of palliatives from Presidency. If Bello truly care for Kogites why did his ill-fated Civil Service screening pauperized and led to the death of many civil servants.
The Deception Game.
While Kingsley Fanwo is busy throwing tantrum and blackmailing the NCDC and implicitly PTF war on Covid-19.
The Kogi State Commissioner of Health is busy doing contact tracing of the Chief Imam of Kabba, Kogi State Covid-19 seemingly Index case according to the Kogi State latest report published on 31 May 2020.
The same Fanwo, Bello’s mouth piece that has made all manner of negative Media publication on Nigeria’s management of Covid-19 pandemic.
At the last count Bello and his men cover has been blown and it is becoming clearer that he was merely looking for cheap popularity by endangering the lives of Kogi State people. Bello has hasten to eat his vomit by the declaration of lockdown in Kabba town. What a clueless deception by somebody who is supposed to the Chief Executive of a state.
One is left with huge sense of bewilderment, that the Covid-19 pandemic issue in which its enormity made President Buhari who is not normally given to media parley reached out to Nigerians on three occasions. The same issue is projected to be a fraud by Bello who has being treated as a son, even though a prodigal one considering his actions and inactions. Let us watch and see how the game riddled with bad projection of the Federal government of Nigeria unfolds with time.
by: Mallam Abdullahi Gambo
Head Media and Publicity Nigeria’s Transparency Group
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