From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Governor Yahaya Bello
The controversy surrounding the accusation of governor Yahaya Bello’s involvement in double registration last Friday took another dimention as the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) has issued the governor his transfered temporary voters card ( TVC) at his country home Okene , Headquarters of Okene LGA.
This development invariably had paved way for the governor’s eligibility to seek for re-election in 2019 as he has been exnorated from INEC earlier accusation that he registered twice.
The governor who was in company of the administrator of Okene LGA, Engr. Abdurazaq Muhammed arrived at the INEC office, Okene at 11am to collect TVC with attendant fanfare and celebration.
This is as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said the commision received the application for transfer on the 26/ 1/2018 seeking for the transfer of his PVC to his country home Okene adding that the granting of the approval was in line with the electoral act.and guidelines.
In a press release made available to journalists in lokoja yesterday which was signed by the INEC’s Head of Education and Publicity, Ahmed Bagudu Biambo, the Commission said the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Kogi state approved the transfer of his registration from the Federal Capital Territory Abuja to Okene LGA of Kogi in line with the provisions of the law.
Biambo noted that the transfer of the TVC to Alhaji Yahaya Bello, governor of kogi was without prejudice of any kind saying the commission was mindful of the provision of the electoral Acts and guidelines.
Bello however, urged those who might have register elsewhere to follow the procedure to transfer theirs to the state to enable them to fulfil their civic responsibility in the forth coming general elections.
It would be recalled that Gov Yahaya Bello had registered in Abuja, prior to the 2015 general election.
It was learnt that all efforts to transfer the voters card to Kogi State before the 2015 general elections has not been successful before now that he picked the pvc at okene.
In a post by the the Director General , Media and Publicity to the Governor, Kingsley Fanwo said the Governor has picked the temporary transferred card at INEC Office, Okene.
He said the Governor had been on the issue of the transfer for long and that he is excited as it has finally been done by INEC.
“Yes, his card has been transferred to his polling unit at Okene. He has been on this for long but thank God INEC has finally done it. The Governor is a law abiding leader who will continue to follow due process”. He said.
