NIGERIA: A GOVERNOR WITHOUT A DEPUTY
The
inauguration ceremony, which was held at the 25,000 capacity Confluence
Stadium, attracted thousands of residents including the the National Chairman
of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and other APC
chieftains.
The
deputy governorship candidate of the party in the governorship election, Mr.
James Faleke, was however absent at the inauguration.
Faleke had condemned the choice
of Bello as replacement for the late Prince Abubakar Audu, insisting that the
party was supposed to have made him the governorship candidate following Audu’s
death.
A
correspondent of the News
Agency of Nigeria at
the venue reports that gorgeously dressed women and men started arriving at the
stadium as early as 8am to witness the historic event.
Tight
security in and around the venue is being provided by a combined team of
policemen, operatives of the Department of State Services, Civil Defence corps
and members of vigilance groups.
The
state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bansen Gwana, is coordinating the security
agents on ground.
People
have been formed into a long queue stretching over 500 metres to allow for
easier screening by security agents.
Eminent
personalities including the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress,
Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, is already seated alongside other national working
committee members of the party.
Two
ministers, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu of the Ministry of Communications and Mr.
James Ocholi, Minister of State for Labour, are also at the venue.
Also,
the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Nasir Ajanah, who will administer the
oath of office on the new governor, is already in the stadium.
The
Clerk of the National Assembly, who is an indigene of the state, Alhaji Ataba
Omolori, the Speaker, Kogi House of Assembly, Mr. Jimoh Lawal, and other
members of the NASS and state legislatures are also seated.
To
ensure a hitch-free ceremony, the state government ordered the closure of all
schools and markets at Ganaja and Lokongoma areas of the city.
Simon Ejembi
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