Kogi to Salihu Lukman: Campaign of calumny against Yahaya Bello won’t stop love Nigerians have for him

The Kogi state government says the campaign of calumny against Yahaya Bello, Kogi governor, will not stop the love that Nigerians have for him.

On Friday, Salihu Lukman, former director-general of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), had accused Bello and Hope Uzodinma, his Imo state counterpart, of working with Mai Mala Buni, chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) caretaker committee, to undermine the national convention of the party.

Reacting through a statement on Tuesday, Kingsley Fanwo, commissioner for information in Kogi, described the allegations against the governor as baseless.

The commissioner also dismissed the allegation that the state has not commenced the payment of N30,000 minimum wage as announced.

“The attention of the Kogi state government has been drawn to the disparaging statements credited to a former employee of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Salihu Moh. Lukman concerning the popular presidential ambition of Governor Yahaya Bello,” Fanwo said.

“It’s more saddening that Lukman decided to expose his main fear when he unwittingly revealed that the candidate to beat in the 2023 APC primary was my principal, His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. To the amateur politician, the unfounded allegations against the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello should sway the minds of Nigerians or party leaders.

“But asking the party to prevent Yahaya Bello, a leading presidential hopeful, from getting the party’s ticket already stamps the fact that all eyes are on him to take the party to victory in the 2023 general election, which everyone knows will be keenly contested.

“For the records, Lukman’s anti-party escapades while at the secretariat of the Progressive Governors’ Forum did not only cost him his job, but also cast more ridicule on his already battered image. We are, therefore, not surprised at his recent disgraceful outburst against key party leaders. He has proved himself to be a mole in APC with a mission to undermine it and ultimately hand advantage to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Governor Yahaya Bello remains a key figure holding the party together and he has the support and endorsement of overwhelming majority of party faithful to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari. Lukman should wake up to the fact that his campaign of calumny will not wane the love APC and Nigerians have for Governor Bello.”

Fanwo said it is important to inform the public that the staff verification exercise undertaken by the Bello administration at inception introduced integrity and transparency into the state’s payroll.

The commissioner said the governor is committed to the welfare of the workforce and no amount of lies will stop him from serving the nation as president come 2023.