Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has firmly rejected rumors suggesting that he and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the upcoming November 11 governorship election in the state, Usman Ododo, are relatives….CONTINUE READING....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Addressing the issue on Friday, Governor Bello clarified that while both he and Ododo may hail from the same region, there is no familial connection between them. He also accused the opposition of being responsible for spreading these unfounded claims regarding their relationship.

Speaking at the third edition of the ‘Governor Yahaya Bello Seminar for Political and Crime Correspondents/Editors’ in Abuja, themed ‘Fight against insecurity: Achieving results in a challenging environment: The Kogi example,’ Governor Yahaya emphasized that Ododo emerged as the APC candidate through a fiercely contested yet transparent primary election.

Governor Bello stated, “Ododo has garnered significant support from the people of Kogi. How can the most popular candidate, poised for victory, be associated with inciting violence? Ododo and I may share a geographical origin, but there is no blood relation between us.

I encourage you to conduct your own investigations. He is a compassionate, diligent, and competent individual, and these qualities earned him success in the primaries.”

Furthermore, the Kogi Governor refuted allegations that his party was responsible for the destruction of campaign offices belonging to Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Kogi Central Senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 National Assembly election.

He reaffirmed the enduring popularity of the APC candidate and considered him the frontrunner in the upcoming elections.

Governor Bello also addressed the issue of ethnic sentiments in the selection of leaders in Kogi State. He expressed his belief that such sentiments had hindered the state’s progress for nearly two decades and stressed the importance of prioritizing competence over tribal affiliations.

His administration, he asserted, has been committed to breaking free from these ethnic divisions by appointing and collaborating with qualified individuals, irrespective of their tribal backgrounds.