By Joseph Ahmedu, Lokoja
Gov Bello, right and Deputy, Onoja, left
Gov Yahaya Bello has described the verdict of the Supreme Court upholding his election for a second term in office as an affirmation of people’s confidence in him.
He asked opposition parties and political gladiators in the state to rally round him in moving the state to the next level.
The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, congratulated the governor on his unanimous affirmation by the Supreme Court as the winner of the Kogi governorship election held in November 2019.
In a unanimous judgment on Monday, a seven-member panel of the apex court led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Mohammed dismissed for lack of merit the appeals filed by governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Bello who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Mohammed on Monday, said that his boss polled a total of 406,222 votes against his closest rival, the PDP candidate, Musa Wada who polled 189,704 votes with a winning margin of 216,518 votes.
The Governor used the moment to pay tribute to His Royal Majesty, Dr. Micheal Idakwo, Ameh Oboni II, the late Attah of Igala who passed on last week.
He described the late traditional ruler as ‘a unifier’ who was a great supporter of his administration, a father and a wise counsellor.
The Governor called on the other parties and their candidates to forgo all forms of bitterness and division and join hands with him to take Kogi to the next level.
The APC said “this victory will definitely buoy Governor Bello to focus on his administration’s commendable effort to ensure peace and guarantee security for the people of the state fortunes of the state and people.
