By Sadiq Umar – Winner of the Kogi’s governorship elections, Yahaya Bello has been sworn in as the Executive Governor of Kogi State, but without a deputy.
Bello who was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) amid controversy that he ran the election without a deputy as provided by law, was sworn in amid a mammoth party supporters.
His presumed deputy, James Faleke, had rejected the party’s claim insisting that he had already been elected governor in the election that INEC declared inconclusive.
At the swearing in ceremony which took place at the Lokoja township stadium, Wednesday, Faleke was conspicuously absent.
Dignitaries that attended the occasion include: National Chairman of the APC, John Odigie-Oyegun as well as the governor of Nasarawa state and the Minister of Communication Technology, Adebayo Shittu, Kogi East Senator, Dino Melaye. The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki was represented by Kabir Gaya.
Melaye in a remark said “today a minority is the governor of Kogi state”.
He pledged that Bello would not disappoint the people of the state and called on all aggrieved people to unite and cooperate with the new governor for the sake of Kogi state.
Bello was picked by the All Progressives Congress to replace its late candidate, Abubakar Audu, who died before the conclusion of the election.
Already, Faleke has approached the election tribunal in the state asking it to declare him governor elect. On Tuesday, the member of the House of Representatives accused the party of planning to declare him as having “absconded.”
His absent at today’s inauguration may have opened a new dimension to the controversy regarding the status of the new governor.
Faleke had said that he was not consulted or taken into confidence by anyone regarding the choice of Bello as Audu’s replacement.
