US Misguided on Kogi Election, Says Nigerian Lawmaker

A lawmaker in Nigeria’s parliament Senator Smart Adeyemi has faulted the United States stance that the Gubernatorial elections conducted in Kogi and Bayelsa States in November 2019 were rigged.

Adeyemi spoke in Lokoja the Kogi state capital during a retreat for journalists and said the US position was premised on misleading reports or information.

“US was misled on what transpired during the elections, particularly that of Kogi State where I served as the Director – General of the campaign team of Governor Yahaya Bello and as well, ran for the Senatorial seat of Kogi West in the election.

“Peculiar factors required for winning such elections were in our favour because Governor Bello used his first term in office to get the hitherto divided people of the state united, aside performing excellently by confronting the problem of insecurity in the state as well as the agelong institutional corruption within the state’s civil service.

“When I took up the appointment as the DG of the campaign, quite a number of our colleagues warned me and asked why I took up the assignment?’,

“I told them I did because of government of inclusiveness Governor Yahaya Bello is running .

“Besides, the East senatorial district where his PDP opponent came from , had the privilege of producing three different Governors between 1999 and 2016.

“The people of the state , particularly Kogi Central and Kogi West , felt that the Central person should be re-elected in paving for Kogi West candidate in 2024.

“Even a lot of electorates in Kogi East , also bought into the idea by voting for Governor Yahaya Bello for second term” , he said.

By Abel Ejikeme

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