Kogi Governor tells INEC “My ghost not me did double registration”

Embattled Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has denied that he registered for the second time in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration [CVR) exercise across the country.

According to him, he traveled out of the country on May 19 to Dubai on a short break and was still there when he saw the press release accusing him of double registration for voters card, saying maybe it was his ghost that did the double registration.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had affirmed that Bello had registered twice as a voter. It said the governor first registered in Abuja in January, 2011 and subsequently in May in Lokoja.

INEC has vowed dire consequences for the INEC staff who may have collaborated in the double registration.

But Bello, who was in the State House to observe  Friday’s Ju’mat prayer, while advising INEC, which he said has earned for its self high reputation not to allow some elements in the electoral body to tarnish its image said, “I traveled on 19th to Dubai for a brief break and I saw the press release and I was taken aback that I did double registration on 23rd. Probably it is my ghost that has done the double registration.

“I think INEC has earned itself a very high reputation and I think and I am very confident that the leadership of INEC will not allow some elements in INEC to drag the name of the Commission into the mud.

“Surely that’s false. I did not do double registration of permanent voters card.”

Senator Dino Melaye had asked Bello to quit over alleged electoral fraud, but responding the governor said, “honestly speaking when a human being is talking then I will respond. Surely I don’t see anything coming out of that and I don’t think I have to waste my time in responding to side distraction. Honestly speaking I’m too focused to be distracted.

“Kogi State has suffered for over 25 years before I came on board and the good people of Kogi are really appreciative of the efforts we are putting forward to make sure that Kogi is well developed, so any side distraction is not something I should pay attention to because the people are with me.”