Governor Yahaya Bello voting

Richard Elesho

Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello has described the conduct of Saturday’s election as free and credible, noting that reports of violence during previous elections in the state under his watch are media creations.

Bello made the remarks while speaking with newsmen after casting his ballot at Agasa, Okene. He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the electorate for a good outing at the poll.

The governor took a self-assessment voyage of his performance in the number one office in the land and declared that he was leaving the state better than he met it.

“From the benefit of hindsight looking back at 2019, it brings a strong reminder of an election. Of electoral violence in Kogi State in my own time is a media creation. All those that are not on the ground here in Kogi State.

“Go into history, go into records, and compare my own regime and that of the previous ones. You will discover that the regime of Governor Yahaya Bello conduct of elections has been the freest, the most free, fair, and credible and violent free elections.

‘So the issue of violence in our election in Kogi State is a media creation and figment of imagination of all those who do not want good things to happen here in Kogi State.

“By the glory of God, you are seeing the atmosphere very tranquil,  peaceful, very harmonious relationship. So there is nothing like violence here.

The governor noted that the conduct of free, fair, and credible election is in the hands of both security agencies and the citizens. We, the citizens, have conducted ourselves very orderly very cordially.

“2019 General Elections went as far as Supreme Court and various other courts or issues or other elections were cited the Supreme Court of the land have exonerated me that those who are mentioning me or aligning me or associating me with violence can not substantiate it because I am peaceful I am a peace-loving citizen and a governor. You can see that issue of security has been tackled effectively here in Kogi State like never before. You know how it used to be people travelling from south to the north from north to the south and people sleeping without, you know, with their eyes open in the past. Now they sleep with their two eyes closed. Issue of kidnapping ISWAP, Boko Haram, and other extreme groups have been decimated, and they no longer exist in Kogi State. That is the effort of this administration or of my own administration.

So therefore, I am very very sure that the next administration, by the special grace of God, that will be emplaced by the people of Kogi State today will take over from me and continue to build on that. And I know very well, you know where my heart is and you know where the citizens’ hearts are.

And we are going to come up very triumphantly. Thank you. I want to urge the media not to listen to social media. Not to listen to social media. Please wait until I come up with any thought or as far as this exercise is concerned here in Kogi State.

I want to assure all of you that I am bequeathing this state better than I met it. Thank you very much. Thank you very much.