Confusion as Governor Yahaya Bello’s name disappears from INEC's list amidst investigations

Confusion as Governor Yahaya Bello’s name disappears from INEC's list amidst investigations

- Kogi state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello’s name has disappeared from the voters register

- This is after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) accused the governor of double registration

- The governor was alleged to have registered in both Abuja and Kogi state

A report by The Nation indicates that the name of Kogi state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has disappeared from INEC's voters register after he was accused of double registration by the electoral body.

According to the report, Bello’s name has been delisted, but INEC has a photograph showing how he was registered at the Government House, Lokoja.

The commission has raised an investigative committee to unravel the “mystery surrounding the alleged double registration by the governor”.

Governor Bello’s name disappeared from INEC's list while investigations are ongoing

There are also indications that the commission will wield the big stick in the state's INEC office for the alleged untoward activities of some of their staff.

INEC alleged that the governor first registered in Abuja in January 2011 and re-registered on May 23 at the Government House, Lokoja.

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But the governor has debunked the claim, saying he was away in Dubai when he was said to have registered again.

As INEC tried to ascertain the true position of the governor’s registration status, a fresh problem has cropped up.

It was learnt that INEC established that some of its staff were deployed in the Government House for Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) of the governor. The state has denied that it took place.

NAIJ.com gathered that although INEC had the photograph of the governor’s registration, it could not trace any Yahaya Bello on its CVR list for May 23 fueling suspicion that the voters list might have been tampered with by some INEC employees.

A source quoted in the report said: “The INEC management has raised an investigative team to look at the controversy over the allegation of double registration by the governor.

“It is however curious that the investigation has assumed a new dimension. The commission has the photograph of the registration of the governor but his name is not on the list of the CVR for that day in question. The name has disappeared.

“Certainly, it is now our words against the governor. This is a mystery we need to unravel. The governor said our team might have registered his ghost. The onus is on us to present the evidence, including our register.

“But we got information before we issued an official statement on the governor’s double registration.

“INEC is suspecting foul play by some of its staff. We hope they are not dragging the commission into the dirty politics of Kogi state again.

“If we are able to establish any shady deals, those concerned will be sanctioned. They may be dismissed from service.”

Kogi state senator, Dino Melaye has accused Governor Bello of incompetence

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Meanwhile, the political disagreements between Governor Bello and Senator Dino Melaye took another dimension recently as the senator accused the governor of sponsoring media campaigns against him.

“Yahaya Bello carrying money round newspaper houses to give him front page tomorrow that Dino Melaye recall process begins.

“I laugh in pidgin English. A man as daft as Yahaya Bello who do not know about transferring voters card from Abuja to Kogi or Edward Onoja who will soon be on his way to Prison want to recall the best Senator of the year 2016,” Melaye wrote on his Facebook page.

Watch the NAIJ.com TV report of a protest against Senator Andy Uba of Anambra state.