Gov Bello tackles Sen Waku over comments on Dino assassination attempt

Kogi State Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello has called on Nigerians not to take the comment by Senator Joseph Waku, who he described as a “clownish alarmist”, over Senator Dino Melaye’s assassination attempt serious.

Senator Waku, a former vice president of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), was alleged to have said that Bello had a hand in the alleged assassination attempt on Sen. Dino Melaye and warned that the governor should be held responsible should anything happen to the senator.

But reacting through his Director General on Media and Publicity, Kingsley Fanwo in Lokoja over the weekend, the governor said that Waku has not surprised Nigerians who “see him as a clownish alarmist.”

Bello added that he will not succumb to efforts at distracting his administration from the “noble new direction agenda aimed at repositioning the state and recovering it from the ruins of the past.”

Part of the statement read, “Waku should not see Kogi as his fishing point in his efforts at being heard after decades of obliviousness and irrelevance. He should not misrepresent the highly respected Arewa Consultative Forum, an organisation that is committed to the development and unity of the Northern Region of Nigeria.

“His assertion that the North will hold the governor responsible if anything happens to Dino is reckless, unsubstantiated, uncharitable and indefensible. Waku should apologize to the people of Kogi State for his wanton allegations and also to the Arewa Consultative Forum for allowing his uninformed position embarrass the noble organisation.

“Sen. Dino Melaye’s alleged attack is currently being investigated by the Police. Waku should explain to Nigerians the reasons behind his desperation to pin the Governor to the allegation. By this act, Waku has shown how low he has gone over the years in his business of courting unnecessary controversies.

“We are not ignorant of Senator Dino’s plans to make a whirlwind spring out of tea cup and we are too focused to join issues with him. Nobody will be allowed to disturb the peace of Kogi State. His efforts to make Kogi ungovernable will fail because the people of Kogi State are behind the Governor.

“The Government of Kogi State is not interested in any mud fight and will therefore not join issues with professional blackmailers. This government was the first to publish its bailout funds and the accounts where the balances were kept. Transparency and accountability are the hallmarks of our government. We are with the people and the people are with us.”

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