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| Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello |
Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has been accused of indiscriminate squandering of N260 million security votes he approved for himself in about one week after he took over as governor of the state.
Governor Bello, was sworn in on January 27, after his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, fielded him as replacement after the death of the former candidate, Abubakar Audu, before the conclusion of the November 21, 2015 elections.
Bello in a memo titled, “Request for Security Fund”, through his Permanent Secretary in the Government House, Ilemona John, reportedly requested and had the sum of N15 million approved on January 29, for his security fund, Premium Times reported.
It was also revealed that strangely, the Permanent Secretary raised another memo just four days later on February 2, with a fresh request for N20 million security funds and was given a prompt approval by the governor.
Evidently, it became a daily routine after John raised another memo for the release of N5 million and another N20 million security funds the same day, February 3, which was immediately approved Bello.
Curiously another approval was made five days later, on February 8, when the Permanent Secretary, again initiated a memo indicating that Mr. Bello’s security funds had yet again been exhausted and sought for an approval for N100 million to be released to “replenish” it.
A few hours later on February 9, Mr. John raised another memo informing his principal that the security funds he approved hours earlier had been exhausted and that he needed to approve another N100 Million. This was again approved by His Excellency allegedly.
Despite millions that was withdrawn from the Kogi State taxpayers purse between the period of January 27 and May 12, Bello went ahead to approve over N148 million to furnish and renovate his office at the Government House in the space of one month allegedly.
The first document for the renovation leaked by Premium Times, dated February 4, from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development showed that the sum of N99, 983, 994. 00 was released as, “Grant/Special imprest in favour of the perm secretary in the Government House Administration”.
The other document, dated March 9, was also for the release of N48, 593, 250.00 as “Grant/Special imprest in favour of the permanent Secretary, Government House Administration, to cover additional works for the furnishing and maintenance of the Governor’s office at Kogi Government House”.
When Premium Times contacted the Governor for his reaction, his spokesman, Kingsley Fanwo, defended by saying: “Let me also put on record that the Governor Yahaya Bello administration, is contractually committed to fighting corruption and enthroning transparency in the polity. These are the terms of his social contract with the Kogi people.”
“If you have ever been to the Kogi State Government House in Lokoja, you will appreciate the rot of the architecture. It was not befitting of one of the most historic Government Houses in Nigeria.“In tandem with the present administration’s drive to turn the economy of the state to a private sector driven one, we need to start our charity at home. People must love to come to our Government House to transact businesses.“Massive constructions are ongoing in the state and the Governor is focused on ensuring transparent and active performance of this year’s budget.“The antics of our opponents will be judged by the people of the state who are already witnessing the benefits of the New Direction Programs. The bulwark of the Yahaya Bello administration is transparency,” he said.
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