Yahaya bello biography of alberta

Nigerian politician (born 1975)

Yahaya Adoza BelloCON (; born 18 June 1975) is a Nigerian homme d`affaires, politician. He served as loftiness governor of Kogi State be bereaved 2016 to 2024.^[1] A participator of the All Progressives Relation, Bello was the youngest boss in Nigeria throughout his fleeting in office.

Born in Okene, Bello studied accounting and traffic administration at Ahmadu Bello Institution of higher education before entering the workforce beget the mid-2000s. His political life's work began with a loss relate to Abubakar Audu in the Medicine gubernatorial primary in 2015. Audu won the election, but spasm on election day; Bello was selected to replace him reorganization party nominee, and was committed in the following year.^[2] Twosome years later, Bello was first-rate amid reports of violence person in charge fraud.^[3][4] His profile rose on his term due to sovereign relative youth compared to upset Nigerian politicians and his unsettled statements and questionable expenditures.^[5]

Early animation and education

Bello was born tad 18 June 1975 in Okene, Kogi State, the youngest female six children.^[6] He began attention Local Government Education Authority (Nigeria) (LGEA) Primary School, Agassa cultivate Okene LGA in 1984.

Bello was named the class-two overseer, and was made the school's head boy in class six.^[7] He attended high school follow Agassa Community Secondary School, Anyava, Agassa-Okene, and obtained his Let fall Secondary School Certificate Examination (JSSCE) and Senior Secondary Certificate Analysis (SSCE) certificates from Government Nonessential School in Suleja, Niger Arraign, in 1994.^[7] Bello studied kid Kaduna StatePolytechnic Zaria in 1995, and received an accounting proportion from Ahmadu Bello University compact Zaria in 1999.

He conventional a Master of Business Management degree from the university instruction 2002. Bello became a hired fellow of the Association make acquainted National Accountants of Nigeria regulate 2004.^[7] He enjoys sport captain fitness, especially boxing.^[8]

Political career

Bello was declared winner of the 2015 Kogi gubernatorial election after appease was chosen by the Dexterous Progressives Congress to replace Abubakar Audu, who won the referendum but died before the lapse was declared.^[9][10][11] On 16 Nov 2019, he was elected work to rule a second term after defeating PDP nominee Musa Wada bid over 200,000 votes.^[12] Bello silt the youngest governor in Nigeria, and the only governor tribal after the Nigerian Civil War.^[13] Victory Obasi announced in 2020 that she would fund Bello's run in the 2023 statesmanly elections.^[14] In Abuja on 2 April 2022, Bello declared emperor interest in running in Nigeria's 2023 presidential elections.^[15] He was supported by the Bello Ambassadors Network, a social-political group supported by Edogbo Anthony^[16] which esoteric over two million registered Nigerien members.^[17]

Controversies

Electoral fraud, incitements to destructiveness, and US visa ban

On 14 September 2020, Bello was centre of a list of politicians be on a visa ban descendant the United States Department depict State for undermining democracy fuse Nigeria.^[18][19] Although activists praised high-mindedness decision and called on burden developed nations to impose much the same bans, Bello accused the Unified States of partisanship and designated the 2019 Kogi State administrative election was mainly peaceful allow fair.^[20][21] The election had pivotal reports of violence and piracy, along with claims that Bello incited the violence with span "ta-ta-ta-ta" chant that imitated interpretation sound of gunfire.^[4][22]

In 2020, Bello repeated the "ta-ta-ta-ta" gunfire chorus in Akure, Ondo State in the long run b for a long time addressing a rally for Rotimi Akeredolu's re-election campaign.^[23] The charm was condemned by the PDP, which accused Bello of materialization thugs to intimidate Ondo voters.^[24] Bello denied the claim, accusatory the PDP of spreading misinformation.^[25]

COVID-19 denial and opposition to vaccines

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bello ostensibly claimed that the virus was "an artificial creation" or denied the virus' existence while wreath state government suppressed testing gain fought with the NCDC disrespect keep case numbers low.^[26][27] Bello refused to wear a false front at public events, including subsequently a governors' meeting with Top dog Muhammadu Buhari and at greatness funeral for Tolulope Arotile.^[28] Hatred memorial prayers for Kogi Indict Chief Judge Nasir Ajanah, who died of COVID-19 on 28 June 2020, Bello falsely assumed that Ajanah had not monotonous of COVID-19 and said: "Whether medical experts and scientists, deem it or not, COVID-19 go over out to shorten the enlightenment of the people, it level-headed a disease propagated by means of access for Nigerians to accept".^[29]

In Oct 2020, Bello said that good taste had rejected a ₦1.1 integer support fund for Kogi Refurbish from the World Bank in that of his belief that COVID-19 is a "glorified malaria".

Earth said, "I rejected the Faux Bank fund because I take apart not believe in COVID-19. Securely the five cases reported put in Kogi State is an Office creation". This claim contradicted admission that Kogi State challenging received ₦1 billion from depiction Federal Government for COVID-19 recovery.^[30]

In his 2020 New Year's Hint address, Bello dismissed the faltering second wave of COVID have Nigeria: "We remain determined importance a government not to happen simultaneously to the highly controversial in a short time wave with mass hysteria", suggest claimed that Kogi was "coronavirus-free".^[31] Bello opposes vaccinations, contrary have an effect on the scientific consensus that vaccines are safe and effective.

Amid the rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations, he falsely claimed that restrictive makers "want to ... introduce greatness disease that will kill order around, God forbid" and refused detect receive the COVID-19 vaccine.^[32][33] These comments were publicised as characteristic example of purposeful misinformation memo vaccines and led to general condemnation, including by the Nigeria Governors' Forum.^[34]

Fake honorary professorship

According add up Kogi State Commissioner for Expertise Kingsley Fanwo in April 2021, Bello received an honorary lead in "humanitarian services, human fold up management, Peace Building" from Aid Thomas-a-Becket University.^[35] Investigation by Desert Reporters discovered that St Thomas-a-Becket University neither awards recognised UK degrees nor has courses overlook humanitarian services, human resources state, or peace-building.^[36]

Corruption allegations

Security fund beam office renovation

In his first lightly cooked days as governor, Bello accepted the spending of ₦260 mint in security funds in a few installments.

On his first short holiday (27 January 2016), Permanent Uncle in the Government House Ilemona John requested permission to finish up ₦15 million in security capital, and Bello approved it match up days later. John requested consent for another ₦20 million rank security funds on 2 Feb, which Bello approved that leg up.

John asked for ₦5 trillion the following day, since honourableness security fund "ha[d] just antiquated exhausted", and Bello again favoured it that day. Later symbolic 3 February, John asked stretch ₦20 million to "replenish" authority fund; Bello approved it these days. On 8 February, John bid ₦100 million twice; Bello ahead approved the spending.

Bello likewise approved over ₦148 million in the vicinity of furnish and renovate his put in place at Government House. John desired approval for ₦99,983,994 for say publicly renovation on 1 February 2016, and Bello immediately approved description spending. On 4 March, Toilet asked for ₦48,593,250 to weakness paid "for an additional drudgery on the renovation/furnishing and excuse of the governor’s office imitate Kogi Government House".

Bello's oversight awarded Maj Global Construction Theatre group a ₦1.4 billion contract do the "Remodelling and Rehabilitation dressing-down Government House Structures"; in 2020, company managing director Michel Abboud said that the Bello governance had not paid ₦726 brand-new despite completion of the job.^[37][38]

Kogi State Commissioner for Information Kingsley Fanwo said that the cavernous, rapid spending was necessary unjust to insecurity in Kogi State; the large renovation costs were required to make Government Manor habitable.

Fanwo later said, "the Governor Yahaya Bello administration in your right mind contractually committed to fighting degradation and enthroning transparency in interpretation polity".^[39] In 2020, Fanwo denied that Kogi State owed Maj Global Construction Company any bonus than ₦100 million.

Budget allocations

Soon after entering office in 2016, Bello and his administration were accused of corruption by significance social-political groups Kogi in Fun and Egalitarian Mission for Continent.

The groups said that they sent information to the EFCC about alleged "fictitious withdrawals presentday evidence of contracts inflation" uninviting the Bello administration that class. Kogi in Action spokesperson Majeed Abdullahi said that "EMA accoutered the EFCC with details be bought executive recklessness on the most of it of the governor and fillet agents", expressing concern about justness agency's alleged inaction.^[40]

In February 2021, scrutiny of the year's Kogi State budget uncovered scores commuter boat mentions of COVID-19, a bug Bello falsely claimed did need exist and refused to bear with countermeasures.

The budget allocated billions of naira to COVID-19 countermeasures such as "E-health COVID-19 response" and "e-learning programme (COVID-19 palliative for students in JSS 3 and SSS 3)", critical addition to ₦9.7 billion easily allocated to "COVID-19". Fanwo sincere not return requests for memo on the budget anomalies, forward Bello's administration was accused accept corruption with the "COVID-19" allocations.^[41] A total of at minimum ₦16.8 billion was allocated reconcile COVID-19 countermeasures.^[42] A later warren by Premium Times indicated walk over ₦2.6 billion was allocated for agriculture-related COVID mitigation programs, but farmers interviewed said lose concentration no assistance was offered take them by the state authority.

Babaniyi Asorose, a farmer arena Lokoja coordinator of the Many Farmers Association of Nigeria, vocal that Lokoja seed and chemical distribution was discontinued the lifetime after federal Minister of Frugality Sabo Nanono opened the Kogi State distribution scheme; the depot was emptied of all accessories during the End SARS protests.

Asorose and other farmers denied receiving state-government support and uttered that many of the apparatus distributed were given to "political farmers" without farms. When nip with a freedom-of-information request, Proxy for Agriculture David Apeh supposed that no government assistance was given to farmers because no part of the budgeted money challenging been spent.

Told by unadorned reporter that the audited murder indicated that the money confidential been spent, Apeh said range "it was not from disheartened own office". Commissioner for Banking Asiru Idris (who signed rank report) and Bello's chief break down secretary, Onogwu Mohammed, did shout respond to requests for comment.^[42]

Later in February 2021, the Anti-Corruption Network (a Kogi-based group give it some thought had accused Bello of debasement several times) released a memorandum accusing Bello of laundering small fortune of naira in public funds; the organization then filed apartment building Economic and Financial Crimes Certification (EFCC) petition against the administrator on 1 March.

According to stool pigeon Peoples Democratic Party senator Dino Melaye, the petition was further submitted to the Independent Debased Practices Commission, the United States embassy, the British High Authorization, and Transparency International. The slaughter detailed alleged corruption in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 Kogi State government expenditures, including (but not limited to) awarding divulge contracts inappropriately, irregularities and conflicts of interest in awarding barter, awarding contracts without due system, and money laundering.

The statement sparked fresh calls for fraudster EFCC investigation of Bello coarse Kogi anti-corruption groups and illustriousness PDP.^[43][44] The Bello administration labelled the allegations politically motivated be first said that the PDP was fearful of Bello's rising profile.^[45] On 30 March, the EFCC announced an investigation of ethics Anti-Corruption Network's fraud allegation.^[46] Rotation July of that year, depiction Anti-Corruption Network said that influence EFCC had not made comprehend on its announced investigation refer to Bello and threatened to reduce legal action if the bureau did not act promptly.^[47]

COVID-19 quest software

On 26 March 2021, Premium Times reported that the Kogi State government had spent rule ₦90 million on COVID-tracking code that only cost ₦300,000.

Undeterred by the Bello administration's lack surrounding anti-COVID measures, financial records precise that the state government mercenary a year of COVID-19 risk-assessment software for ₦90,720,000 in Stride 2020. A reporter posing bring in a government official who welcome to create a similar app in a different state contacted Telnet Technology, the company awarded the Kogi project, who thought that a similar project would cost only ₦300,000 for pooled year.

Fanwo said that righteousness project cost less than top-notch million naira, but refused accomplish explain why the state 1 report said that over ₦90 million was paid.^[48] The Premium Times reporting sparked further calls for investigation, with the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) asking President Buhari to "direct the Attorney General of character Federation and Minister of Frankness Abubakar Malami, SAN and catch anti-corruption agencies to investigate described misuse of the N4.5 loads donations, loans and support blue blood the gentry Kogi State government obtained take from the Federal Government, including N90,720,000 reportedly spent on software say yes track COVID-19 cases in description state."^[49]

Kogi State Salary Bailout account

On 31 August 2021, the City Division of the Federal Feeling of excitement Court froze the Kogi Executive Salary Bailout Sterling Bank stable account after an application stick up the EFCC.

The commission's affirmation said that it had "credible and direct intelligence" that picture account was illegally funded release ₦20 billion from a run about like a headless chicken government loan account on 25 July 2019, and had pule been used to pay civil-servant salaries. According to the EFCC, ₦666,666,666.64 was removed from glory account in the two between its creation and significance court date; the commission articulated that it was attempting discussion group trace the funds, since they were "not used for honourableness payment of the salary".

Aficionado Tijjani Ringim, who granted significance commission's motion to freeze significance account, said that the pigeonhole would remain in place while 1 December pending the EFCC investigation and possible prosecution.^[50]

Sterling Capital responded that Kogi State locked away no fixed account in their bank, and the account sign by the EFCC is nourish internal number that the camber uses to manage Kogi Set down accounts; the bank said deviate there was a similarly-numbered custom account that Sterling did crowd operate.

The Bello administration smooth-running a press conference where Fanwo said that the state reach a decision had no fixed accounts rip apart Sterling Bank, and the threesome state-government accounts in Sterling independent only ₦46 million. Fanwo malefactor the EFCC of misleading glory judiciary and the public, risky to sue the commission don the media for reporting primacy court proceedings.^[51] Bello denied description allegations, calling the case well-organized "misrepresentation of facts", saying delay no Kogi state account was frozen, and "the officials attain the EFCC" could have injudicious the commission.^[52][53] The EFCC gather the Kogi State government comprehensively go to court if whoosh contested their findings.

Human-rights untraditional Deji Adeyanju said that Bello "should be in jail forever" because of corruption, but termination three Kogi State senators (Smart Adeyemi, Jibrin Isah and Yakubu Oseni, all APC members) tumble with EFCC chair Abdulrasheed Bawa in September 2021 to justify for Bello.^[54][55] Bawa rebuffed grandeur senators' case after explaining ground the EFCC is not simply targeting Kogi, and analysts held that the case could live his biggest test since sovereign February 2021 appointment.^[56]

In November 2021, the Central Bank of Nigeria acknowledged the receipt of round ₦19.3 billion in Kogi Allege salary bailout funds after their recovery by the EFCC.^[57] Fanwo again denied that the impoverish belonged to the Kogi Arraign government, calling the EFCC's voice drift "mischievous, false and politically motivated".^[58] On 12 December, the set down government sued the EFCC quandary ₦35 billion in damages safe the commission's statements on honesty issue.^[59]

Yahaya Bello vs EFCC

Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello in your right mind facing a 19-count charge stomach-turning the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged funds laundering and misappropriation of ₦80.2 billion.

Despite attempts to bring to a standstill him in April and Sep 2024, Bello evaded capture interview the alleged assistance of Controller Usman Ododo, using his exclusion as a sitting governor. Bello has since appealed to birth Supreme Court, seeking to upset a warrant for his take into custody issued in April. His sway has been adjourned until Oct 30, 2024.^[60]

Awards and recognition

See also

References