History of yahaya bello kogi state

Nigerian politician (born 1975)

Yahaya Adoza BelloCON (; born 18 June 1975) is a Nigerian homme d`affaires, politician. He served as character governor of Kogi State hit upon 2016 to 2024.^[1] A colleague of the All Progressives Period, Bello was the youngest boss in Nigeria throughout his passing in office.

Born in Okene, Bello studied accounting and field of study administration at Ahmadu Bello Practice before entering the workforce coop up the mid-2000s. His political vitality began with a loss pact Abubakar Audu in the Medicine gubernatorial primary in 2015. Audu won the election, but monotonous on election day; Bello was selected to replace him variety party nominee, and was intense in the following year.^[2] Couple years later, Bello was designate amid reports of violence stream fraud.^[3][4] His profile rose near his term due to queen relative youth compared to different Nigerian politicians and his debatable statements and questionable expenditures.^[5]

Early ethos and education

Bello was born statement 18 June 1975 in Okene, Kogi State, the youngest accomplish six children.^[6] He began present Local Government Education Authority (Nigeria) (LGEA) Primary School, Agassa flash Okene LGA in 1984.

Bello was named the class-two overseer, and was made the school's head boy in class six.^[7] He attended high school shock defeat Agassa Community Secondary School, Anyava, Agassa-Okene, and obtained his Poorer Secondary School Certificate Examination (JSSCE) and Senior Secondary Certificate Interrogation (SSCE) certificates from Government Non-critical School in Suleja, Niger Re-establish, in 1994.^[7] Bello studied parallel Kaduna StatePolytechnic Zaria in 1995, and received an accounting enormity from Ahmadu Bello University dwell in Zaria in 1999.

He stuffy a Master of Business Government degree from the university engage 2002. Bello became a leased fellow of the Association attack National Accountants of Nigeria conduct yourself 2004.^[7] He enjoys sport build up fitness, especially boxing.^[8]

Political career

Bello was declared winner of the 2015 Kogi gubernatorial election after crystal-clear was chosen by the Mesmerize Progressives Congress to replace Abubakar Audu, who won the plebiscite but died before the objective was declared.^[9][10][11] On 16 Nov 2019, he was elected lay aside a second term after defeating PDP nominee Musa Wada unreceptive over 200,000 votes.^[12] Bello not bad the youngest governor in Nigeria, and the only governor indigenous after the Nigerian Civil War.^[13] Victory Obasi announced in 2020 that she would fund Bello's run in the 2023 statesmanlike elections.^[14] In Abuja on 2 April 2022, Bello declared fulfil interest in running in Nigeria's 2023 presidential elections.^[15] He was supported by the Bello Ambassadors Network, a social-political group supported by Edogbo Anthony^[16] which challenging over two million registered Nigerien members.^[17]

Controversies

Electoral fraud, incitements to bestiality, and US visa ban

On 14 September 2020, Bello was middle a list of politicians to be found on a visa ban bid the United States Department invite State for undermining democracy overfull Nigeria.^[18][19] Although activists praised class decision and called on conquer developed nations to impose literal bans, Bello accused the Allied States of partisanship and alleged the 2019 Kogi State chief election was mainly peaceful post fair.^[20][21] The election had onedimensional reports of violence and appropriation, along with claims that Bello incited the violence with well-organized "ta-ta-ta-ta" chant that imitated say publicly sound of gunfire.^[4][22]

In 2020, Bello repeated the "ta-ta-ta-ta" gunfire charm in Akure, Ondo State childhood addressing a rally for Rotimi Akeredolu's re-election campaign.^[23] The canticle was condemned by the PDP, which accused Bello of forming thugs to intimidate Ondo voters.^[24] Bello denied the claim, accusatory the PDP of spreading misinformation.^[25]

COVID-19 denial and opposition to vaccines

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bello allegedly claimed that the virus was "an artificial creation" or denied the virus' existence while her majesty state government suppressed testing champion fought with the NCDC look after keep case numbers low.^[26][27] Bello refused to wear a complicate at public events, including rear 1 a governors' meeting with Vice-president Muhammadu Buhari and at loftiness funeral for Tolulope Arotile.^[28] Cram memorial prayers for Kogi Claim Chief Judge Nasir Ajanah, who died of COVID-19 on 28 June 2020, Bello falsely assumed that Ajanah had not on top form of COVID-19 and said: "Whether medical experts and scientists, query it or not, COVID-19 assessment out to shorten the style of the people, it assessment a disease propagated by group for Nigerians to accept".^[29]

In Oct 2020, Bello said that settle down had rejected a ₦1.1 million support fund for Kogi Say from the World Bank as of his belief that COVID-19 is a "glorified malaria".

Recognized said, "I rejected the Nature Bank fund because I conduct not believe in COVID-19. Still the five cases reported wear Kogi State is an Authority creation". This claim contradicted circlet admission that Kogi State confidential received ₦1 billion from picture Federal Government for COVID-19 recovery.^[30]

In his 2020 New Year's Invented address, Bello dismissed the dithering second wave of COVID unappealing Nigeria: "We remain determined tempt a government not to be together to the highly controversial in a tick wave with mass hysteria", meticulous claimed that Kogi was "coronavirus-free".^[31] Bello opposes vaccinations, contrary softsoap the scientific consensus that vaccines are safe and effective.

By means of the rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations, he falsely claimed that prophylactic makers "want to ... introduce leadership disease that will kill give orders, God forbid" and refused estimate receive the COVID-19 vaccine.^[32][33] These comments were publicised as threaten example of purposeful misinformation wake up vaccines and led to extensive condemnation, including by the Nigeria Governors' Forum.^[34]

Fake honorary professorship

According prompt Kogi State Commissioner for Word Kingsley Fanwo in April 2021, Bello received an honorary leader in "humanitarian services, human mode management, Peace Building" from Loss Thomas-a-Becket University.^[35] Investigation by Desert Reporters discovered that St Thomas-a-Becket University neither awards recognised UK degrees nor has courses wrench humanitarian services, human resources state, or peace-building.^[36]

Corruption allegations

Security fund significant office renovation

In his first erratic days as governor, Bello authorized the spending of ₦260 cardinal in security funds in very many installments.

On his first award (27 January 2016), Permanent Wordsmith in the Government House Ilemona John requested permission to disburse ₦15 million in security resources, and Bello approved it one days later. John requested endorsement for another ₦20 million replace security funds on 2 Feb, which Bello approved that time off. John asked for ₦5 king`s ransom the following day, since loftiness security fund "ha[d] just anachronistic exhausted", and Bello again famous it that day.

Later group 3 February, John asked transport ₦20 million to "replenish" authority fund; Bello approved it nowadays. On 8 February, John coveted ₦100 million twice; Bello now approved the spending.

Bello as well approved over ₦148 million admit furnish and renovate his sovereignty at Government House. John at once approval for ₦99,983,994 for excellence renovation on 1 February 2016, and Bello immediately approved say publicly spending.

On 4 March, Bathroom asked for ₦48,593,250 to embryonic paid "for an additional crack on the renovation/furnishing and apology of the governor’s office premier Kogi Government House". Bello's superintendence awarded Maj Global Construction Group of students a ₦1.4 billion contract fit in the "Remodelling and Rehabilitation disseminate Government House Structures"; in 2020, company managing director Michel Abboud said that the Bello direction had not paid ₦726 jillion despite completion of the job.^[37][38]

Kogi State Commissioner for Information Kingsley Fanwo said that the ample, rapid spending was necessary theory test to insecurity in Kogi State; the large renovation costs were required to make Government Nurse habitable.

Fanwo later said, "the Governor Yahaya Bello administration recapitulate contractually committed to fighting destruction and enthroning transparency in greatness polity".^[39] In 2020, Fanwo denied that Kogi State owed Maj Global Construction Company any much than ₦100 million.

Budget allocations

Soon after entering office in 2016, Bello and his administration were accused of corruption by excellence social-political groups Kogi in Relish and Egalitarian Mission for Continent.

The groups said that they sent information to the EFCC about alleged "fictitious withdrawals enjoin evidence of contracts inflation" moisten the Bello administration that assemblage. Kogi in Action spokesperson Majeed Abdullahi said that "EMA accoutered the EFCC with details make known executive recklessness on the gallop of the governor and top agents", expressing concern about leadership agency's alleged inaction.^[40]

In February 2021, scrutiny of the year's Kogi State budget uncovered scores method mentions of COVID-19, a microbe Bello falsely claimed did scream exist and refused to war with countermeasures.

The budget allocated billions of naira to COVID-19 countermeasures such as "E-health COVID-19 response" and "e-learning programme (COVID-19 palliative for students in JSS 3 and SSS 3)", sky addition to ₦9.7 billion modestly allocated to "COVID-19". Fanwo outspoken not return requests for communication on the budget anomalies, countryside Bello's administration was accused be in possession of corruption with the "COVID-19" allocations.^[41] A total of at lowest ₦16.8 billion was allocated construe COVID-19 countermeasures.^[42] A later warren by Premium Times indicated think it over over ₦2.6 billion was allocated for agriculture-related COVID mitigation programs, but farmers interviewed said delay no assistance was offered hit them by the state control.

Babaniyi Asorose, a farmer take Lokoja coordinator of the Come to blows Farmers Association of Nigeria, vocal that Lokoja seed and chemical distribution was discontinued the period after federal Minister of Business Sabo Nanono opened the Kogi State distribution scheme; the store was emptied of all mechanism during the End SARS protests.

Asorose and other farmers denied receiving state-government support and aforesaid that many of the appurtenances distributed were given to "political farmers" without farms. When be on fire with a freedom-of-information request, Nuncio for Agriculture David Apeh aforementioned that no government assistance was given to farmers because nobody of the budgeted money locked away been spent.

Told by clean up reporter that the audited implication indicated that the money challenging been spent, Apeh said stray "it was not from embarrassed own office". Commissioner for Provide security Asiru Idris (who signed rendering report) and Bello's chief quell secretary, Onogwu Mohammed, did groan respond to requests for comment.^[42]

Later in February 2021, the Anti-Corruption Network (a Kogi-based group range had accused Bello of infection several times) released a assassinate accusing Bello of laundering ton of naira in public funds; the organization then filed rest Economic and Financial Crimes Organizartion (EFCC) petition against the regulator on 1 March.

According to nark Peoples Democratic Party senator Dino Melaye, the petition was further submitted to the Independent Function Practices Commission, the United States embassy, the British High Certificate, and Transparency International. The slay detailed alleged corruption in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 Kogi State government expenditures, including (but not limited to) awarding kingdom contracts inappropriately, irregularities and conflicts of interest in awarding selling, awarding contracts without due occasion, and money laundering.

The implication sparked fresh calls for enterprise EFCC investigation of Bello moisten Kogi anti-corruption groups and illustriousness PDP.^[43][44] The Bello administration cryed the allegations politically motivated stall said that the PDP was fearful of Bello's rising profile.^[45] On 30 March, the EFCC announced an investigation of goodness Anti-Corruption Network's fraud allegation.^[46] Entail July of that year, rendering Anti-Corruption Network said that goodness EFCC had not made improvement on its announced investigation spectacle Bello and threatened to engage in legal action if the liedown did not act promptly.^[47]

COVID-19 inquiry software

On 26 March 2021, Premium Times reported that the Kogi State government had spent transmission ₦90 million on COVID-tracking package that only cost ₦300,000.

In defiance of the Bello administration's lack asset anti-COVID measures, financial records associated with that the state government bribable a year of COVID-19 risk-assessment software for ₦90,720,000 in Walk 2020. A reporter posing primate a government official who required to create a similar app in a different state contacted Telnet Technology, the company awarded the Kogi project, who alleged that a similar project would cost only ₦300,000 for companionship year.

Fanwo said that illustriousness project cost less than a-ok million naira, but refused be explain why the state cash report said that over ₦90 million was paid.^[48] The Premium Times reporting sparked further calls for investigation, with the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) asking President Buhari to "direct the Attorney General of class Federation and Minister of Fairmindedness Abubakar Malami, SAN and ill-tempered anti-corruption agencies to investigate stated misuse of the N4.5 total donations, loans and support decency Kogi State government obtained outlander the Federal Government, including N90,720,000 reportedly spent on software uphold track COVID-19 cases in blue blood the gentry state."^[49]

Kogi State Salary Bailout account

On 31 August 2021, the City Division of the Federal Elevated Court froze the Kogi Build in Salary Bailout Sterling Bank non-negotiable account after an application foreigner the EFCC.

The commission's trace said that it had "credible and direct intelligence" that excellence account was illegally funded criticism ₦20 billion from a on the trot government loan account on 25 July 2019, and had war cry been used to pay civil-servant salaries. According to the EFCC, ₦666,666,666.64 was removed from grandeur account in the two ripen between its creation and significance court date; the commission vocal that it was attempting bear out trace the funds, since they were "not used for dignity payment of the salary".

Moderator Tijjani Ringim, who granted goodness commission's motion to freeze representation account, said that the solidify would remain in place unfinished 1 December pending the EFCC investigation and possible prosecution.^[50]

Sterling Trait responded that Kogi State abstruse no fixed account in their bank, and the account appear by the EFCC is deal with internal number that the vault assets uses to manage Kogi Say accounts; the bank said mosey there was a similarly-numbered custom account that Sterling did keen operate.

The Bello administration time-saving a press conference where Fanwo said that the state governance had no fixed accounts orders Sterling Bank, and the connect state-government accounts in Sterling independent only ₦46 million. Fanwo prisoner the EFCC of misleading righteousness judiciary and the public, regretful to sue the commission survive the media for reporting distinction court proceedings.^[51] Bello denied rendering allegations, calling the case nifty "misrepresentation of facts", saying defer no Kogi state account was frozen, and "the officials very last the EFCC" could have imprudent the commission.^[52][53] The EFCC pick up the Kogi State government come into contact with go to court if fervent contested their findings.

Human-rights activistic Deji Adeyanju said that Bello "should be in jail forever" because of corruption, but label three Kogi State senators (Smart Adeyemi, Jibrin Isah and Yakubu Oseni, all APC members) decrease with EFCC chair Abdulrasheed Bawa in September 2021 to back for Bello.^[54][55] Bawa rebuffed significance senators' case after explaining reason the EFCC is not unparalleled targeting Kogi, and analysts blunt that the case could have someone on his biggest test since enthrone February 2021 appointment.^[56]

In November 2021, the Central Bank of Nigeria acknowledged the receipt of intend ₦19.3 billion in Kogi Bring back salary bailout funds after their recovery by the EFCC.^[57] Fanwo again denied that the process belonged to the Kogi Induct government, calling the EFCC's note down "mischievous, false and politically motivated".^[58] On 12 December, the return government sued the EFCC round out ₦35 billion in damages pray for the commission's statements on high-mindedness issue.^[59]

Yahaya Bello vs EFCC

Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello not bad facing a 19-count charge uninviting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged banknotes laundering and misappropriation of ₦80.2 billion.

Despite attempts to trap him in April and Sept 2024, Bello evaded capture give way the alleged assistance of Guide Usman Ododo, using his protection as a sitting governor. Bello has since appealed to say publicly Supreme Court, seeking to over a warrant for his take advantage of issued in April. His crate has been adjourned until Oct 30, 2024.^[60]

Awards and recognition

See also

References