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Yahaya Bello Sworn In Without A Deputy
Yahaya Bello Sworn In Without A Deputy
Kogi makes another history as Governor Yahaya Bello is sworn in without a deputy.
kogi State on Wednesday made another unusual history as its fourth
democratically elected governor, Yahaya Bello, was sworn in without a
deputy.
The man nominated by the All Progressives Congress to be Mr.
Bello’s deputy, James Faleke, made real his threat not to present
himself for swearing in with the governor.
He was conspicuously absent at Wednesday’s ceremony, and no replacement was announced at the event.
The legal implication of that arrangement remained unclear Wednesday.
It is the first time in Nigeria’s political history that an elected governor would be inaugurated without a deputy.
The
North-Central state had made another history late last year when a
leading governorship candidate, Abubakar Audu, died before its
governorship election is concluded, throwing the state into what
appeared a constitutional logjam.
On Wednesday, Mr. Bello was
inaugurated amid pomp and ceremony by the Chief Judge of the state,
Nasir Ajana, who administered the oath of office and that of allegiance
on him.
Mr. Bello was picked by the All Progressives Congress to replace its late candidate, Mr. Audu.
Mr.
Faleke objected to the party’s decision and approached the election
tribunal in the state asking it to declare him governor-elect.
He
contended that the election had been won and lost before Mr. Audu died
and that he (Faleke) should have been pronounced governor-elect.
Mr.
Faleke has repeatedly claimed that he was not consulted or taken into
confidence by anyone regarding the choice of Mr. Bello as Mr. Audu’s
replacement.
He was also quoted in various reports as expressing
suspicion that the party was planning to announce his replacement on the
grounds that he absconded from Wednesday’s inauguration.
Those
attending Wednesday’s inauguration include the National Chairman of the
APC, John Odigie-Oyegun as well as the governor of Nasarawa state and
the Minister of Communication Technology, Adebayo Shittu.
The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, was represented by Kabir Gaya, a senator and former governor of Kano.
The
Senator representing Kogi East, Dino Melaye, who gave the welcome
address, said Wednesday’s inauguration was historic because “a minority
is now the governor of Kogi state”.
He pledged that Mr. 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.
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