Reports making the rounds that Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State donated N70 million at the book launch of first lady, Aisha Buhari, are false, the governor has said.
Speaking through his chief press Secretary, Kingsley Fanwo, in a statement on Sunday, Bello said he attended the book launch because he identifies with the idea behind it, which was to raise funds for families affected by Boko Haram violence.
“The book launch was organised by the nation’s first lady to garner support for the families of the abducted Chibok girls which was attended by Governor Bello to lend support to the traumatised families of the girls. As a political leader and a parent, Governor Bello is touched by the plight of the girls and their families, hence the will to identify with the project.
“The book launch was televised to the whole world and no one announced what anyone donated. Governor Bello did not donate N70m as insinuated by the people who are turning opposition politics to a comical adventure.”
The governor also said that the story that he collected a loan from Zenith Bank is also untrue. He said he had never approached any bank for financial assistance. He added that the story was meant to distract the governor from his task.
According to him, it was also not correct that he had not paid salaries since he was sworn-in as was reported last week. He said he had paid two months’ salary arrears out of the four months being owed workers by his predecessor.
On the accusation by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state that he has only appointed members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into his government, the governor stated that he has a mandate to only appoint people he believes can deliver on the task at hand.
Bello was a member of the PDP before he crossed to the APC just before the gubernatorial election in the state last November.
“It is not true that the governor made 45 political appointments. Some appointments are purely professional and only people who are competent in those fields are capable of discharging such roles effectively.
“Majority of those appointed are in the APC while many others are not politicians but technocrats who can drive the new direction agenda of the present administration. The governor deserves commendation for assembling a team that is already delivering great services to the people of the state.”
“The Yahaya Bello administration has relegated mediocrity to the back seat. We need to drive Kogi to work and for her to work, round pegs must be in round holes without prejudice to fairness and equity.”
Source: The Punch
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