Usman Okai Austin, the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the House of Representatives in the Dekina/Bassa constituency of Kogi State, has dismissed recent claims that former Governor Yahaya Bello played a key role in maintaining peace in the state during the ongoing nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests.
Austin's rebuttal came in response to an article by Sulaimon Adejoh, who suggested that Bello's influence was instrumental in preventing the protests from gaining traction in Kogi State. Adejoh’s piece credited Bello with restoring security in the state and aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s administration to ensure that the protests did not take root in Kogi.
In his article, Adejoh argued that Bello, despite facing legal challenges with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had effectively mobilized support for Tinubu’s presidency and worked to suppress the protests in Kogi. He claimed that Bello had rallied stakeholders and youth groups to discourage participation in the protests.
However, Usman Okai Austin strongly disagrees with these assertions. In a post on his Facebook page, Austin criticized Adejoh's claims, arguing that Bello's tenure as governor was marked by severe economic hardships and mismanagement. He asserted that Bello's policies had significantly worsened the economic situation in Kogi, making it one of the poorest states in Nigeria.
Austin highlighted the efforts of other political figures, such as Muri Ajaka, Senator Echocho, and Karimi, who he said had called for calm during the protests. He suggested that rather than maintaining peace, Bello’s administration had exacerbated the difficulties faced by Kogi residents.
“Yahaya Bello’s claims of maintaining peace in Kogi are far from the truth,” Austin stated. “His actions and policies have only served to further the suffering of our people. The so-called peace in Kogi is a facade, overshadowed by the severe hunger and economic distress inflicted during his time in office.”
Austin further accused Bello of secretly wishing for significant unrest in Kogi to distract from his legal troubles with the EFCC. He argued that the former governor should acknowledge his failures and stop trying to take credit for the state’s current state of relative calm, which Austin attributes to the broader political and social dynamics rather than any specific efforts by Bello.
The debate around Bello’s role in Kogi State’s stability during the protests highlights ongoing tensions and differing perspectives on the former governor’s legacy and the current state of governance in Kogi. As the nationwide protests continue, the discussions around Kogi’s situation remain a point of contention among political figures and analysts.
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