8 Scandals Involving State Governors In Nigeria
Well, scandals are not new in Nigeria's political space. They are some of the things that colour the polity, much more, exposes the hi...
https://newshelmng.blogspot.com/2017/05/8-scandals-involving-state-governors-in.html
Well, scandals are not new in Nigeria's political space. They are
some of the things that colour the polity, much more, exposes the hidden
secrets of those in the corridors of power. Over the past months, and
two years since the inception of President Muhammadu Buhari's
administration, some state governors have been soiled in one scandal or
the other. While some of them denied it, others did not. However it is,
these scandals include:
1. Kogi – Voting: Latest being heard of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state is his battle with Nigeria's electoral body, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) accusing him of registering twice for Permanent Voter Card, and the commission cancelling his second and illegal registration. The governor's action has drawn the ire of both his party, APC and controversial Senator, Dino Melaye. Melaye, with them calling for the governor's resignation
The governor has said that he will not resignation.
2. Delta – Bailout Fund to Mistress: January 2017, Delta governor, Okowa was soiled in a scandal involving bail out funds. Reports emanated that a governor is under probe after the sum of $10 million he diverted from the bailout funds allocated to his state was hijacked by his mistress. The governor was said to have commissioned his mistress to help him launder the said sum only for the latter to refuse to remit it in the slush accounts the governor provided. The money was traced to a bank in the United States. Though his name was not mentioned in the report, he, after some days debunked the widespread report that he was the South South governor said to have been swindled out of $10 million by a US based actress, Georgina Onuoha.
3. Zamfara – Used Paris Fund for hotel: Zamfara state governor, Yari has been in the news lately. Recently, anti-graft agency, EFCC, discovered a hotel being constructed by him with $3million from the London-Paris Club loan refund. Yari, who is the chairman of the Governor’s Forum, allegedly diverted N19billion reportedly meant for “consultants” from the Paris club loan refund.
The money had been illegally paid into the account of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) by Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Yari, reports say, sneaked into Aso Rock Presidential Villa in search of soft-landing. He was said to have offered to refund the balance of $2.5 million quietly to the EFCC without being further investigated, given that one of the proxies used to launder the funds had already surrendered $500,000 to the anti-graft agency.
4. Ajimobi – Constituted Authority: Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state came under heavy criticisms over his 'constituted authority' statement few months ago. The reaction of the governor was when he addressed students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso who stormed his office to protest the 8-month closure of their school. In a show of power, the governor insulted the students, boasted that as the governor of the state, he is the constituted authority and should be respected even though he does not pay salaries.
5. Lagos – Sack of Lagos Chaplain: Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is not having a good time with the media over the recent sack of Lagos Chaplain. The chaplain was sacked for disrespecting Governor Ambode's wife during anointing service. Mrs Ambode had gone for the anointing service, but was infuriated because she was not recognised first before others for the anointing session.
6. Rivers – Threatened INEC official on phone: Controversial Rivers state governor, Nyesome Wike was late December 2016 involved in a mess of allegedly threatening to kill compromised INEC official during Rivers Re-run elections. The audio recording of the threat was leaked by Sahara Reporters. But the Rivers state government denied the audio tape, saying it's a fabricated evidence.
7. Katsina – Coffin: Nigerians came after Governor of Katsina state, Aminu Bello Masari for reportedly buying 3,000 coffins and distributed them to the mosques in the state. The coffins were allegedly bought at N40,000 according to a blogger, Jamil Maba. The blogger queried the governor's move especially as he owed workers in the state many months salaries.
8. Ortom – Wheelbarrow: Reports emerged from Benue state recently, saying that Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state, as part of his goodwill for the youths of the state, decided to empower them with wheelbarrows, with the inscription ''Governor Ortom For You''. The governor reacted, saying his consent was not sought, and did not give approval for anyone to inscribe his name on the wheelbarrows. Consequently, the governor queried the Executive Secretary of SEMA to explain why such action was taken by his office.
1. Kogi – Voting: Latest being heard of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state is his battle with Nigeria's electoral body, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) accusing him of registering twice for Permanent Voter Card, and the commission cancelling his second and illegal registration. The governor's action has drawn the ire of both his party, APC and controversial Senator, Dino Melaye. Melaye, with them calling for the governor's resignation
The governor has said that he will not resignation.
2. Delta – Bailout Fund to Mistress: January 2017, Delta governor, Okowa was soiled in a scandal involving bail out funds. Reports emanated that a governor is under probe after the sum of $10 million he diverted from the bailout funds allocated to his state was hijacked by his mistress. The governor was said to have commissioned his mistress to help him launder the said sum only for the latter to refuse to remit it in the slush accounts the governor provided. The money was traced to a bank in the United States. Though his name was not mentioned in the report, he, after some days debunked the widespread report that he was the South South governor said to have been swindled out of $10 million by a US based actress, Georgina Onuoha.
3. Zamfara – Used Paris Fund for hotel: Zamfara state governor, Yari has been in the news lately. Recently, anti-graft agency, EFCC, discovered a hotel being constructed by him with $3million from the London-Paris Club loan refund. Yari, who is the chairman of the Governor’s Forum, allegedly diverted N19billion reportedly meant for “consultants” from the Paris club loan refund.
The money had been illegally paid into the account of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) by Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Yari, reports say, sneaked into Aso Rock Presidential Villa in search of soft-landing. He was said to have offered to refund the balance of $2.5 million quietly to the EFCC without being further investigated, given that one of the proxies used to launder the funds had already surrendered $500,000 to the anti-graft agency.
4. Ajimobi – Constituted Authority: Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state came under heavy criticisms over his 'constituted authority' statement few months ago. The reaction of the governor was when he addressed students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso who stormed his office to protest the 8-month closure of their school. In a show of power, the governor insulted the students, boasted that as the governor of the state, he is the constituted authority and should be respected even though he does not pay salaries.
5. Lagos – Sack of Lagos Chaplain: Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is not having a good time with the media over the recent sack of Lagos Chaplain. The chaplain was sacked for disrespecting Governor Ambode's wife during anointing service. Mrs Ambode had gone for the anointing service, but was infuriated because she was not recognised first before others for the anointing session.
6. Rivers – Threatened INEC official on phone: Controversial Rivers state governor, Nyesome Wike was late December 2016 involved in a mess of allegedly threatening to kill compromised INEC official during Rivers Re-run elections. The audio recording of the threat was leaked by Sahara Reporters. But the Rivers state government denied the audio tape, saying it's a fabricated evidence.
7. Katsina – Coffin: Nigerians came after Governor of Katsina state, Aminu Bello Masari for reportedly buying 3,000 coffins and distributed them to the mosques in the state. The coffins were allegedly bought at N40,000 according to a blogger, Jamil Maba. The blogger queried the governor's move especially as he owed workers in the state many months salaries.
8. Ortom – Wheelbarrow: Reports emerged from Benue state recently, saying that Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state, as part of his goodwill for the youths of the state, decided to empower them with wheelbarrows, with the inscription ''Governor Ortom For You''. The governor reacted, saying his consent was not sought, and did not give approval for anyone to inscribe his name on the wheelbarrows. Consequently, the governor queried the Executive Secretary of SEMA to explain why such action was taken by his office.
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