Kogi Govt. raises alarm over alleged smear campaign plot against Yahaya Bello

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The Kogi Government has raised  alarm over an alleged smear campaign plot against Gov.  Yahaya Bello,  ahead of the 2023 presidential  election.

Addressing journalists at  its quarterly news briefing on Sunday, the Kogi Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr  Kingsley Fanwo, said the state government was aware of plans to paint the governor in bad light ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

“There are  speculations that the governor  is interested in contesting for presidency in 2023, a move which has unsettled some major political actors, especially with the fast rising profile of Yahaya Bello.”

According to the commissioner, the state government has unravelled plots by certain persons to launch a smear campaign against the governor on alleged  embezzled of state funds.

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“Intelligence reports at our disposal show that a certain George whose other details we prefer to keep for now,  is at the centre of this conspiracy.

“With all of these achievements, it is unfortunate that some disgruntled persons  are still bent on launching a smear campaign on the governor and  government of Kogi.

“Fresh on the heels of the discredited allegations against  Kogi  government by the EFCC, we are  aware of several plots to paint the Bello administration  black  on a regular basis from now till 2023,” the commissioner said.

He alleged  that several bloggers and media-guns-for-hire had been contracted to regularly sully the public space with claims of embezzlement of public funds by the governor and his administration.

Fanwo said some of the figures planned to be thrown around in the days, weeks and months to come, represented more money than the administration had even seen together at one time.

“We hope the media will be vigilant and activate its  investigative offices before running with  such allegations.

“Despite intense pressure and lobbying from across the country and even Nigerians in diaspora, Yahaya Bello has not told anyone that he is running for President in 2023.

“His  position is that he will give an appropriate answer to his supporters at the appropriate time.

” If and when the smear campaign manifests, we will respond  with the applicable legal force. Our gentleness must not be mistaken for cowardice.

“We are aware that some vested persons have decided to move to the next stage. We know their plans up to the 12th stage.

“The first one was the allegations  through the EFCC, that has been sufficiently punctured; now they have moved to concoct statements and allegations that some billions of naira have been embezzled.

“We have been able to apply the resources of the state for the good of the people and that’s why we can achieve all that we have.

“We just want  members of the public to be sufficiently aware that the reason they are doing this is to score political goals and paint the governor, who is already enjoying the support of many Nigerians, with their black grudge,” the commissioner added. (NAN)

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