. Gov Bello asks appointees to show election results of their polling units

Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi state has asked all his appointees to submit a report of their "stewardship” in the last election.

Bello won the governorship election held in November, he polled 406,222 votes to defeat Musa Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who secured 189,704, and Natasha Akpoti of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who got 9,482.

The governor won in 12 local government areas out of the 21 in the state.

In a memo entitled, ‘submission of your stewardship to New Dimension administration’, signed by Folashade Ayoade, secretary to the state government, the governor directed all heads of ministries, departments, and agencies to submit a report detailing their ”stewardship”.

"Following the decision reached at the state executive council meeting held on Wednesday 27 November. His Excellency, Yahaya Bello, Executive Governor of Kogi state has directed all heads of ministries, departments, and agencies to submit in detail their stewardship to the New Direction administration in respect of their ministries,” the letter read.

“Report should include local government; office(s) held; duration; ward; polling unit; the result of the election in PU and ward.” and submitted not later than December 6.

The election, in which Bello emerged winner, was criticised by some civil society organisations for widespread irregularities and violence. However, in a reaction, the Director-General, Media and publicity to the governor, Kingsley Fanwo said that the results were needed for research and planning purposes.

Fielding questions from journalists in Lokoja on Tuesday, the Director-General of Media and Publicity to the Governor, Kingsley Fanwo said the hues generated by the memo was “unnecessary”.

He said: "Our attention has been drawn to an internal memo illegally circulated on the social media and the mischievous meanings read into the memo.

“We wish to make it clear that the memo was nothing but a routine data collation for the purposes of research and planning. It has nothing to do with the falsetto of falsehood that the memo was aimed at political vendetta.

“The Governor has intrinsic confidence in his outgoing aides as people of impeccable loyalty to the development of our dear State. Their incredible contributions to the electoral success of the Governor and the All Progressives Congress are not in doubt.

“Our research office will collate all the results and analyze them for planning. All the three Senatorial Districts gallantly stood in defense of our EBIGO concept as they saw a bigger picture of a united Kogi State”.

Fanwo said it was “unscrupulous and petty” for “career pull downers” to attribute such call to political vendetta, saying it was part of the opposition’s larger plan to “discredit our hard-earned victory”.

“We know they have been striving to justify their historic failure at the polls. They said we were violent when they were the real perpetrators of violence. Their next line is to cause dissatisfaction among APC leaders and members, a plan which is dead on arrival”, he said.

He said the defeat of the PDP in the Governorship, Senatorial, and Reps elections in the past two weeks have further nailed the coffin of the party.

“After the heavy pounding of PDP in February and March, they thought they have a hope in November. Their recent failures in the Governorship, Senatorial, and Reps election has ensured that PDP is finally buried in Kogi State. They have now turned to an Association Of Discredited Rumor Bearers. By 2024, they won’t have any structure again in Kogi State. “The administration of Alh. Yahaya Bello will continue to serve the interests of the people. The people spoke in February and March and now in November. The naysayers on the social media have been put to shame as they have no knowledge of the reality on ground in the State”.