Austin Usman Okai

Security agents have again last week Saturday prevented Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello from boarding an airline for a planned trip to United Kingdom to pay a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari who is on a ten- day annual leave.

It was gathered that when Bello went to the office of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo to get clearance for his trip to London, his request was turned down by the Vice President who advised him to go back to his state and settle workers unpaid salaries and to settle the lingering crisis rocking his party, (APC) in the state.

But he turned deaf ears to the vice president’s advice, and headed to the airport where he was prevented from traveling.

According to an airport source, security men stationed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja seized Bello’s traveling documents and told him they would not allow him to travel abroad unless they received clearance from the presidency.

The action of the men however, appears to be an instruction from the presidency.
The source said the governor had arrived the Abuja airport for the 11:10 a.m. London flight.
But after Bello had been checked in by the airline and was about to complete immigration formalities, his documents were confiscated by the Security men at the immigration cubicle where he was told that he could not travel.

“The security men were shown relevant traveling documents, by the governor, but the officers said they have no choice in the documents and that they were only acting on instruction from above that they should not allow him to travel.”

The development caused confusion at the airport and delayed the flight.
Bello’s luggage was however later unloaded to allow the flight proceed on its journey without the governor.

Recollect that, last week, a member of House of Representative and deputy Running mate to Late prince Abubakar Audu,in November 2015 Governorship election Hon James Abiodu Faleke , led the delegation of APC leaders and stakeholders from Kogi State to Vice President Yomi Osibajo

Faleke, who led the group comprising former ministers, former ambassadors, former National Assembly members and other critical stakeholders from the State to the office of the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, said that the State has stopped working since Bello assumed office.

Addressing State House correspondents at the end of the closed door meeting, Faleke said that the Governor’s unsavory actions were inimical to the future of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

According to him, the people are dying of hunger as a result of the leadership style being adopted by Governor Bello.

He said: “We came to the presidency to let federal government know what is happening in Kogi state as regards the fortunes of the party.

The way it is dwindling day by day as regards the civil servants, the welfare of the people and their relationship with the state government.

“We have come to let the presidency know so that when elections come and the party losses, no one is to be blamed.

We want intervention from the federal government to find a way forward in this situation.

“The governor of the state should recognize those who work for the party and make the party to be successful. It is one thing to be victorious at the court level and another thing to carry the people along. I want to use this opportunity to urge the governor to carry the people along

He said that the delegation was satisfied with the response of the Acting President during the meeting.

Secret Reporters

In what is a pointer to the rejection of Nigerians suitable for employment, news from Kwara State is that, the state Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed has approved the appointment of his long time girlfriend, Dr. Wendy Kay Daeges as the pioneer Rector of the International Vocational, Training and Entrepreneurship College (IVTEC), Ajase-Ipo. Rector for IVTEC, Ajase-Ipo.

In a release confirming the appointment, the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed approved the appointment of Dr. Wendy Kay Daeges as the pioneer Rector of the International Vocational, Training and Entrepreneurship College (IVTEC), Ajase-Ipo, on Wednesday through the State Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Alhaji Musa Yeketi.

According to the commissioner, the new appointee is to resume this month, the new Rector, Mrs. Wendy Daeges, we gathered according to reliable sources, said, has been a long time girlfriend of the Governor, where she has worked in four countries, including, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, United States and South Korea, where Abdulfatah visits, in disguise of looking for foreign investors for the state.

Findings show that, she has been the Executive Director of a Vocational College in Saudi Arabia.

Sources in Kwara who spoke with Secret Reporters, decried the high level of unemployment in the state and questioned the rational how the foreigner was employed by the Governor, at the expense of intelligent Kwarans.
Some queried how the Governor, who has repeatedly been crying of insufficient fund for the state, will engage an expatriate, when Nigerians are available and qualified to do the job.

Secret Reporters

In a new twist of clampdown on the media, the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has ordered for a ban on a radio program, used to criticize his administration’s ineptitude.

Findings shows that, the local radio program, which is usually presented in ebira language, entitled, “ozoza etu ono mee,” translated in English language as, “every individual will account for his deeds,” has not gone down well with the Bello’s administration, which has been seen to be critical of the Government, overtimes.

The radio station, TAO FM OKENE, in order to continue being patronized by the Bello’s administration, has succumbed to Government pressure to sack the presenter, Isah James Adeiza, also known as Ozi adayi.

Recollect that, last week, “Udama,” a radio program was banned in the state for criticizing the Government, in what many describe as a clampdown on the media in Kogi.