Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has claimed politicians are playing games with Nigerians amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Bello stated this while speaking on Thursday when members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation led by the secretary-general of the foundation and former Governor of Kano State, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, paid him a courtesy call at the Government House in Lokoja. Bello stated that “COVID-19 is not a new disease in our clime.
We have our own way of treating it and that is what we should be exploiting, rather than subjecting our people to hardship, hunger and starvation through lockdown.” He called for employment opportunities to be created, instead of resorting to lockdown and keeping citizens at home. “Let us stop this game. Nigerians are suffering. Instead of the lockdown with its attendant negative effects on the people, why can’t we turn it into employment opportunities; providing clothes for face masks to be exported to those countries who have the disease?,” he said. Bello called on leaders in the Northern region of the country to unite in its collective developmental agenda so as to enjoy its full potential and reduce the backwardness it is experiencing. He mentioned that present and past leaders of the region must ensure the practice of principles of sincerity, equity, fairness and Justice which would facilitate adequate security and the region’s eventual prosperity. Governor Bello noted that the late Northern Premiere, Sir Ahmadu Bello was a leader who united the North as one indivisible entity because he was sincere, upright and selfless which exemplified good leadership qualities.
He pointed out that Sir Ahmadu Bello was neither religious nor ethnic biased stating that any leader in the North who does not emulate his good virtues was not worthy to be regarded as such. Governor Bello noted that he has also lived the good virtues of the great leader which has been clearly depicted in the resolve of his administration to unite the state, free of religion, ethnic or class differentiation. He noted that the North was backward in several areas because many have derailed from the preaching and good intentions of the founding fathers of the region. Earlier in his address, Former Kano State Governor, Senator Ibrahim Shakarau, appreciated the efforts of the state as regards its timely financial contribution towards the Foundation both in cash and human resources who have served the foundation resourcefully. He assured that the foundation stands with the state while it would also continue to play the role of a catalyst for Northern unity and peace. The Foundation also made a donation of 1,500 face masks to the state.
Kogi Report