The members of the National Assembly from Kogi on Tuesday, commended Gov. Yahaya Bello for superintending over a “peaceful and credible Nov 11, 2023 Governorship election’ in the state.
The lawmakers, comprising Senators (excluding Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of PDP) and members of the House of Representatives, made the commendation at a courtesy visit to the governor at the Government House, Lokoja.
A statement by the governor’s Media Aide, Onogwu Muhammed, said the lawmakers congratulated the governor on “the resounding victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the emergence of Usman Ododo as Governor-elect of Kogi.
According to the lawmakers, the November election was adjudged peaceful, credible, free and fair by local and international observers.
Speaking one after the other, Sen. Jibrin Isah-Echocho (APC-Kogi) representing Kogi East, commended Bello for his sterling leadership, which paved the way for the resounding victory.
He pledged the unalloyed loyalty of the lawmakers to the governor and the governor-elect.
Sen. Sunday Karimi lauded the governor’s ingenuity and called for magnanimity in putting the election’s challenges behind with a view to expanding APC’s space in Kogi.
In his remarks, the Deputy Majority Leader of the house of representatives, Ibrahim Abdullahi-Halims, commended Bello’s wisdom and exemplary leadership, assuring the governor of efforts to unite APC members in his constituency and the entire Kogi East.
In their separate remarks, Rep. AbdulRahim Danga, representing Okehi/Adavi on the platform of the PDP and Rep. Salman Idris of the ADC, representing Kabba/Ijumu, commended Bello’s fairness and democratic approach during the conduct of their elections.
The duo eulogized the governor for what they termed as his large heart, political sagacity and understanding, describing him as a fair player in the field of politics.
They said the governor had everything to truncate their chances of emerging victorious in the election that produced them as witnessed in other states.
“As a democrat, Bello allowed the electioneering processes to go smoothly without intimidating opponents of his political party.”
Bello, who welcomed the lawmakers warmly, commended their contributions to the victory of the Nov. 11 governorship election in Kogi .
The governor emphasized the importance of being genuine, truthful, and committed, while urging them to do more in delivering the best to their respective constituencies as they had been doing.
Bello expressed gratitude to them for their roles in the election, advising them to work collaboratively for the advancement of the Nigerian legislature, particularly for the benefit of their constituents.
Acknowledging the forthcoming leadership transition in the state on Jan. 27, Bello urged the lawmakers to support Ododo in consolidating and continuing the positive trajectory set by his administration.
Bello, who advised the lawmakers to move past election-related conflicts and focus on positive lessons learned, emphasized the importance of unity and collaboration in ensuring the success of the APC in Kogi.
In his response, the governor-elect noted the place of Bello’s leadership style in fostering unity across the state without ethnic or political bias.
He recounted the governor’s dedicated efforts in supporting the national assembly members during party primaries, general elections, and post-election legal challenges and appreciated his selfless commitment to placing individuals in key positions and ensuring a peaceful and secure Kogi.
