The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has called for the immediate resignation of Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello over double registration, thereby paving way for the Deputy Governor of the state, Simon Achuba to emerge as possible replacement.
The party, which made this call at a press conference in Abuja, declared that the alleged involvement of Bello in double voter’s registration has embarrassed and impugned on the party’s image.
The call for Bello’s registration came as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had through its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Solomon Soyebi, on Tuesday alleged that Bello registered twice as a voter.
Post-Nigeria’s investigation revealed that Bello registered as a voter for the second time on Tuesday, May 23 in Government House, Lokoja, having earlier registered on January 30, 2011 in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
Chairman of the state chapter of the APC, Hadi Ametuo, who briefed journalists along with other party leaders in the state including, Senators Dino Melaye, Mohammed Ohiare, Ocheja Dangana and Abdulrahman Abubakar, pointed out that APC would not fold its arm and allow Bello destroy its image and integrity.
Melaye, representing Kogi West, who has been having a running battle with the governor in recent times over diverging political interest, added that what the governor did underscored the fact that he was not a registered voter in Kogi State abinitio.
Melaye even wondered why Bello accepted the governorship candidacy offer of the APC, adding: “Bello should resign immediately. We are not only going to start civil mass action, but we are also going to mobilise Kogi State House of Assembly for his impeachment if the governor fails to resign.”
Meanwhile, a statement by Bello’s spokesperson, Kingsley Fanwo, did not deny that his boss registered twice, but indicated it was not illegal. He argued that the governor had to register again in Kogi, because nothing had come out of efforts to get INEC to transfer his voter’s card from Abuja to Kogi.
In a related development, the state Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, spokesperson, Bode Ogunmola, saw the development as a vindication of the party’s earlier stance on Bello’s voter’s registration status.
He stated: “We wish to make it clear that the present APC-led government in Kogi was foisted on the people of the state. It is not untrue that Bello was not legally qualified and had no moral standing to run for election in Kogi State, in the first place, since he has never been a registered voter in the state.
“It was not for nothing that some of his party members were not happy and openly disagreed with the way the national body of the APC imposed his candidature on them.
“The state is presently groaning under a leadership that has no place in moral justice.”
