President Muhammadu Buhari administration is said to have given N1 billion to each of the 36 Governors of the country to cushion the effect of COVID-19 pandemic.
Apart, the Governors were also said to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with World Bank to receive N1.1 billion for the same purpose.
Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello revealed this Tuesday while featuring on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily.
Investigation by Straightnews shows that most states have collected the World Bank’s money.
However, Bello said he was the only state governor who refused to sign an MoU with World Bank, saying it was a one-sided agreement or document.
“Go and check records. Kogi State is the only State that refused to sign that document for N1.1bilion because I don’t believe in COVID. N500 million has been disbursed, Kogi State did not receive and I refused to receive and I rejected it,” he said.
Answering why he received the COVID-19 fund from the Federal Government despite not believing in the virus, Bello responded, “Even though we did not have COVID-19 in Kogi State, we are equally affected because our economy was equally affected and Federal Government released that fund to assist every state and we cannot reject it.”
The Kogi Governor debunked allegations that his government hoarded the CA-COVID relief packages in Lokoja or anywhere in the State as being rumoured.
“The allegations,” he said, “were to discredit state governors and the Federal Government.”
On ENDASRS protest, Bello said the EndSARS protest is politically motivated and all about 2023.
”What is happening today, the so-called ENDSARS, is politically motivated. Whether anybody says it or not, I am saying it again and quote me any day.
“Why would you demand for five items and you are granted and have refused to take it. Which struggle or agitation or uprising across the world has ever succeeded without leadership.” he said
When asked if he doesn’t agree with the agitations of the protesters, Governor Bello said ”100% I agree, but if you look at what is happening today, then you would have no other option than to classify it as politically motivated. This is a ploy to set us the youths of this nation against each other.”
When asked to identify the politicians that have taken over the protest, Governor Bello said ”By those who set them up. By the politicians who have hands in End SARS. By those who continue to shift the goalpost when the demands were met. By those who continue to profiteer from it.”
Speaking further, he said ”You asked for End SARS. Remember, not everybody believes in ending the SARS. Even if you say SARS are wrong in doing one thing or the other, the best way to have agitated was to simply ask for the reform or the total security overhaul.
“In the military, in the air force, in the Navy, even civil defence, there are bad eggs. Do we end those security outfits? Even in the media today, as good as the social media is, it has its own disadvantages that have set even countries and nations on collision course. Do you end the media?
“We continue to ask for reformation. Now, SARS has been ended. Police morale has been dampened and they have gone off the streets. Hoodlums have taken over. Who do we report to? I think we should have articulated our points and go about it in a more credible way and not to be used by politicians.”
