Double voter registration: INEC lied against me —Kogi governor

KOGI State governor, Yahaya Bello, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of lying against him when the commission announced recently that he had engaged in double voter registration.

The electoral body, which acknowledged that the act was punishable, said that Bello could not be prosecuted for breaking the law because he enjoyed immunity as governor.

But speaking with State House correspondents after observing his Juma’at prayers at the Presidential Villa, Abuja mosque, on Friday, Bello said it might have been his ghost that did the double registration because he did not do it.

The governor also suggested that some persons in INEC who wanted to rubbish the commission were responsible for the accusation.

“I travelled on the 19th to Dubai for a brief break and I saw the press release and I was taken aback that I did double registration on the 23rd. Probably it is my ghost that has done the double registration.

“I think INEC has earned itself a very high reputation and I think and I am very confident that the leadership of INEC will not allow some elements in INEC to drag the name of the commission in the mud.

“Surely, that’s a falsehood. I did not do double registration of permanent voters card,” he said.

The governor dismissed mounting opposition against him in his All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, led by Senator Dino Melaye, saying that they were not significant individuals.

Asked to respond to criticisms from APC members, he said: “Honestly speaking, when a human being is talking, then I will respond.

“Surely, I don’t see anything coming out of that and I don’t think I have to waste my time in responding to whatever side distraction. Honestly speaking, I am too focused to be distracted.

“Kogi State has suffered for over 25 years before I came on board and the good people of Kogi State are really appreciative of the efforts we are putting forward to make sure that Kogi State is well developed.

“So, any side distraction is not something I should pay attention to because the people are with me.”

He, however, gave the assurance that APC in Kogi State was “one and indivisible. No faction, no division and by the grace of God, we are all strong and united.”

The governor praised his own effort in developing the state, saying his administration had given the state a new lease of life.

On the performance of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in the first two years, Bello observed that the administration had done well.

According to him, “the Buhari administration has recorded an excellent result. When we look at where we are coming from and where we are today and where we want to go to, going by the rate of achievements and successes recorded by the Buhari administration, surely, we are going to get to the Promised Land in no distant time from now.”