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| Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State….Is there a need to fear a Ghost? |
Before we set forth, some clarity
might be necessary on the two odd words above. “Gomina” is the corruption of “governor” in Yoruba. Rooted in French mythology, “séance”, on the other
hand, refers to a psychic channel of communicating with the dead. The phenomenon
is however not exclusive to the French;
it permeates most superstitious civilizations including Africa.
might be necessary on the two odd words above. “Gomina” is the corruption of “governor” in Yoruba. Rooted in French mythology, “séance”, on the other
hand, refers to a psychic channel of communicating with the dead. The phenomenon
is however not exclusive to the French;
it permeates most superstitious civilizations including Africa.
This astral route may well be the
only option now left to unravel a metaphysical puzzle arising from the
altercation that erupted last week between Kogi
Governor and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
only option now left to unravel a metaphysical puzzle arising from the
altercation that erupted last week between Kogi
Governor and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Thinking it had the Kogi’s No. 1
citizen by the scruff of the neck with textual and pictorial evidence; INEC
came out to accuse Governor Yahaya Bello
of double registration on May 23 in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration
(CVR) exercise.
citizen by the scruff of the neck with textual and pictorial evidence; INEC
came out to accuse Governor Yahaya Bello
of double registration on May 23 in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration
(CVR) exercise.
Relying on its records, INEC claims
the governor had registered on January 30, 2011 – precisely in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
the governor had registered on January 30, 2011 – precisely in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
What would then make the offense
triply grave are not just its cold-blooded willfulness and the stature of the
offender but also the impunity in parlaying the sacred grounds of Lokoja White House to the theatre of
such illegality.
By regulation, INEC staffs are
expressly forbidden from registering outside designated CVR centers.
expressly forbidden from registering outside designated CVR centers.
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| Author, Louis Odion, FNGE….In search of the Ghost who made mess of a Governor |
But there were reports of a
photograph of the Governor while his data was being captured right in his
office. It was partly on that basis that Solomon
Soyebi, the National Commissioner overseeing the exercise, expressed
indignation.
photograph of the Governor while his data was being captured right in his
office. It was partly on that basis that Solomon
Soyebi, the National Commissioner overseeing the exercise, expressed
indignation.
While hinting at heavy
sanctions awaiting the conniving officers who must have allowed the prospects
of some “stomach infrastructure” at the exit door to becloud their
sense of professional judgment, Soyebi however
regretted that the constitutional immunity clause would prevent INEC
from immediately filing charges against the Kogi
helmsman.
sanctions awaiting the conniving officers who must have allowed the prospects
of some “stomach infrastructure” at the exit door to becloud their
sense of professional judgment, Soyebi however
regretted that the constitutional immunity clause would prevent INEC
from immediately filing charges against the Kogi
helmsman.
Said Soyebi: “The governor’s
double registration and doing so outside INEC’s designated centers are both
illegal. We wish to make it clear that no INEC staff was authorized by the commission
to re-register him or any citizen or to do so outside our designated CVR
centers”,
double registration and doing so outside INEC’s designated centers are both
illegal. We wish to make it clear that no INEC staff was authorized by the commission
to re-register him or any citizen or to do so outside our designated CVR
centers”,
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| The Prophecy according to Prophet Segun Adeniyi |
But rising from a prayer session in
Abuja last Friday after days of high suspense, Bello responded with a vigorous alibi. He claimed to have jetted to
Dubai on May 19 and, therefore,
suggested it must have been his ghost who registered on the said date. (But
note that May 19 is different from May 23.)
Abuja last Friday after days of high suspense, Bello responded with a vigorous alibi. He claimed to have jetted to
Dubai on May 19 and, therefore,
suggested it must have been his ghost who registered on the said date. (But
note that May 19 is different from May 23.)
To his accuser, he gave a warning: “I think INEC has earned itself a very
high reputation and I’m very confident that the leadership of INEC will not
allow some elements to drag its name (in) the mud. Actually, that is a
falsehood; I did not do double registration of permanent voter card”
high reputation and I’m very confident that the leadership of INEC will not
allow some elements to drag its name (in) the mud. Actually, that is a
falsehood; I did not do double registration of permanent voter card”
Curiously, however, Bello’s fierce
denial is a complete negation of earlier admission by his spokesperson, Mr. Fanwo Kingsley, who strained hard to
explain the abnormality away.
denial is a complete negation of earlier admission by his spokesperson, Mr. Fanwo Kingsley, who strained hard to
explain the abnormality away.
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| Odomode Gomina Alhaji Yahaya Bello of Kogi State |
Hear him: “The governor’s effort to transfer his card from Abuja to Kogi
State has not been successful, hence the need to get registered in Kogi
State… As Governor of the state, Bello is the chief mover of government
policies. He must always lead by example… to woo others to go and register.
There is nothing wrong with registering in the Governor’s Office because it
belongs to all Kogites. Government House is People’s House”.
State has not been successful, hence the need to get registered in Kogi
State… As Governor of the state, Bello is the chief mover of government
policies. He must always lead by example… to woo others to go and register.
There is nothing wrong with registering in the Governor’s Office because it
belongs to all Kogites. Government House is People’s House”.
Ha!
Official double-speak has never been
so audacious. Clearly, the falcon no longer hears the falconer in the iconic
confluence city.
so audacious. Clearly, the falcon no longer hears the falconer in the iconic
confluence city.
So, between Bello and his spin doctor, almost
frothing in the corners of the mouth in overdrive, who are we to believe?
frothing in the corners of the mouth in overdrive, who are we to believe?
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| President Muhammadu Buhari….Belongs to everybody and not for somebody |
While it may be true that INEC
has lately managed to have its once glorious “Independent” supplanted
by seedy “Inconclusive” on account of serial operational tardiness
since Professor Jega bowed out in
2015, I however doubt if things could have degenerated to the level that its
National Commissioner would come out to level such a weighty allegation against
Bello without basis.
has lately managed to have its once glorious “Independent” supplanted
by seedy “Inconclusive” on account of serial operational tardiness
since Professor Jega bowed out in
2015, I however doubt if things could have degenerated to the level that its
National Commissioner would come out to level such a weighty allegation against
Bello without basis.
Curiously still, the nation woke up Monday
morning to read in most national dailies that Bello’s name had mysteriously disappeared from the 2017 voters
register.
morning to read in most national dailies that Bello’s name had mysteriously disappeared from the 2017 voters
register.
Suddenly, INEC could no longer trace
any Yahaya Bello on its CVR list for
May 23, thus fueling suspicion that another “ghost” might have
tampered with the list. Happily, INEC was said to still have in its custody the
photograph showing Bello being registered at the Government House in Lokoja. Even if the picture were to be
stolen or physically destroyed by yet another ghost, its memory certainly
cannot be easily wiped away from the cyber space or the public mind
for that matter.
any Yahaya Bello on its CVR list for
May 23, thus fueling suspicion that another “ghost” might have
tampered with the list. Happily, INEC was said to still have in its custody the
photograph showing Bello being registered at the Government House in Lokoja. Even if the picture were to be
stolen or physically destroyed by yet another ghost, its memory certainly
cannot be easily wiped away from the cyber space or the public mind
for that matter.
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| Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu…His legs and fingers cut off in Kogi by unseen hands… |
This is precisely why one says it
may not be out of place to engage the ghost so implicated through the agency of
a séance, if only to put the nation out of the ensuing confusion and
misery.
may not be out of place to engage the ghost so implicated through the agency of
a séance, if only to put the nation out of the ensuing confusion and
misery.
Among others, the ghost needs to
explain how it was able to come alive from the other world and seamlessly
cut through the usually heavy security cordon to appear in Bello’s office, affecting his luxurious mannerism, charming the
obsequious INEC staffers to play along and even pose for photographs to boot!
explain how it was able to come alive from the other world and seamlessly
cut through the usually heavy security cordon to appear in Bello’s office, affecting his luxurious mannerism, charming the
obsequious INEC staffers to play along and even pose for photographs to boot!
Again, could the photograph – the
last strand on which INEC now seems to hang gingerly – have been conjured by
yet another ghost?
last strand on which INEC now seems to hang gingerly – have been conjured by
yet another ghost?
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| APC Chairman, Chief Oyegun…Did he know anything about the Kogi Gomina drama? |
While we await answers, let no
one attempt to shield Bello from
reproach still. In the unlikely event that he is innocent of all the charges,
he will nonetheless bear vicarious responsibility for the verbal
indiscretion of his agent. On account of the double-speak, Bello and his coterie of kindergarten propagandists only succeeded
in making a big fool of themselves before a national audience.
one attempt to shield Bello from
reproach still. In the unlikely event that he is innocent of all the charges,
he will nonetheless bear vicarious responsibility for the verbal
indiscretion of his agent. On account of the double-speak, Bello and his coterie of kindergarten propagandists only succeeded
in making a big fool of themselves before a national audience.
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| Abubakar Audu…Death ruled him out finally |
Then, the other moral filth:
let us even concede that mischief-makers orchestrated May 23, as Bello would have us believe. The
picture that still emerges is no less appalling. We are then affronted
by the imagery of rank opportunism and colossal moral yoke on the highest
office in Kogi
today. Without a valid voter’s card, how did Bello vote in the
November 2015 governorship polls?
let us even concede that mischief-makers orchestrated May 23, as Bello would have us believe. The
picture that still emerges is no less appalling. We are then affronted
by the imagery of rank opportunism and colossal moral yoke on the highest
office in Kogi
today. Without a valid voter’s card, how did Bello vote in the
November 2015 governorship polls?
With the circumstantial evidence now
available, the most probable answer is that the man who would become Kogi governor was simply unable to
discharge the most basic of his civic obligations that day. Meaning His Excellency is today exercising power
and savoring the executive fruits for which he more or less did not
labour.
available, the most probable answer is that the man who would become Kogi governor was simply unable to
discharge the most basic of his civic obligations that day. Meaning His Excellency is today exercising power
and savoring the executive fruits for which he more or less did not
labour.
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| James Abiodun Faleke….Fought toot and nil for Lugard House, Lokoja but lost out to Odomode Gomina, Alhaji Yahaya Bello |
Maybe, we should not be too shocked.
The bizarre controversy May 23 has generated seems to be consistent with Kogi’s
heritage of absurdity and willful perversion of the course of natural justice
since November 2015. Being a child of manipulation, perhaps we should learn to
live with Bello’s sense of
entitlement.
The bizarre controversy May 23 has generated seems to be consistent with Kogi’s
heritage of absurdity and willful perversion of the course of natural justice
since November 2015. Being a child of manipulation, perhaps we should learn to
live with Bello’s sense of
entitlement.
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| His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State |
Truth be told, Bello was really not deserving of the APC ticket originally. Not
only is it now clear he did not vote in the 2015 polls, it is common knowledge
too that he did not participate in the party’s earlier strenuous campaigns
across the length and breadth of Kogi,
perhaps out of the bitterness of coming last as the “CPC hope” in
the primaries won overwhelmingly by now late Abubakar Audu.
only is it now clear he did not vote in the 2015 polls, it is common knowledge
too that he did not participate in the party’s earlier strenuous campaigns
across the length and breadth of Kogi,
perhaps out of the bitterness of coming last as the “CPC hope” in
the primaries won overwhelmingly by now late Abubakar Audu.
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| Audu Abubakar….Dead made it against the run of play for him as he couldn’t sit in this office |
By the evening of November 21, 2015,
tallies from the field clearly showed that APC had won by a comfortable margin
and that the declaration of Audu as
victor was a question of time. But a curious twist soon entered the equation: Audu, the presumptive winner, had
suddenly dropped dead and the information was already available in privileged
quarters.
tallies from the field clearly showed that APC had won by a comfortable margin
and that the declaration of Audu as
victor was a question of time. But a curious twist soon entered the equation: Audu, the presumptive winner, had
suddenly dropped dead and the information was already available in privileged
quarters.
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| Governor James Abiodun Faleke of Kogi State or Reps Abiodun Faleke of Ikeja Federal Constituency? |
Then, the high-wire power-play
began. Even though the total number of registered voters in
a few areas where voting had not occurred would not put even a dent on Audu’s
lead, it pleased INEC to declare the elections “inconclusive”.
began. Even though the total number of registered voters in
a few areas where voting had not occurred would not put even a dent on Audu’s
lead, it pleased INEC to declare the elections “inconclusive”.
Otherwise, Faleke, Audu’s running
mate, would have become governor by default.
mate, would have become governor by default.
Suddenly, Bello, though performing poorly in the primaries but favored by
the powerful CPC cell within APC, was fork-lifted from the political alley,
flown over his betters and anointed APC’s new flag-bearer and inheritor of all Audu and Faleke had toiled hard for. Thus, climaxed the dark conspiracy
to deny Faleke the fruits of his hard labor.
the powerful CPC cell within APC, was fork-lifted from the political alley,
flown over his betters and anointed APC’s new flag-bearer and inheritor of all Audu and Faleke had toiled hard for. Thus, climaxed the dark conspiracy
to deny Faleke the fruits of his hard labor.
But, once violated, the ghost (Ha!,
that creature again!) of justice is forever restless. It must be the one
haunting Bello now.
that creature again!) of justice is forever restless. It must be the one
haunting Bello now.
