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The government of Kogi State has alleged a plot to smear the Governor of the state, Yahaya Bello ahead of the 2023 general elections.<\/span><\/p>\n The State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo disclosed this while addressing reporters during its quarterly media briefing.<\/span><\/p>\n Fanwo said \u201c\u2026It is unfortunate that some disgruntled political liabilities are still bent on launching a smear campaign againt the person of Governor Yahaya Bello, and the government of Kogi State.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFresh on the heels of the discredited allegations against the Kogi State government by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), backed by some other powerful vested interests in the country, the Kogi State government is aware of several plots to paint it black in the public perception regularly from now till 2023.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The commissioner alleged that several bloggers and media-guns-for-hire had been contracted on a retainer to regularly sully the public space with claims of embezzlement of public funds by the governor and his administration.<\/span><\/p>\n Fanwo said some of the figures planned to be thrown around in the days, weeks, and months ahead represented more money than the administration had even seen together at any one time.<\/span><\/p>\n He said: \u201cWe hope that you gentlemen of the press will be vigilant and activate your investigative offices before running with such fabricated and unfounded allegations.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDespite intense pressure and lobbying from across the country and even Nigerians in Diaspora, Governor Bello has not told anyone that he is running for President in 2023.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHis Excellency\u2019s position is that he will give an appropriate answer to his supporters at the appropriate time.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIntelligence at our disposal shows that a certain George, whose other details we prefer to keep for now, is at the centre of this conspiracy. If and when his madness manifests, we will respond to him with the applicable legal force. Our gentleness must not be mistaken for cowardice.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe are aware that some vested persons, smarting from the failure of the EFCC adventure, have decided to move to the next stage. We know their plans up to the 12th stage.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe first one was to go and concoct something through the EFCC; that has been sufficiently punctured. Now, they have moved to go and concoct statements and allegations that some billions of naira have been embezzled.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe have been able to apply the resources of the state for the good of the people and that\u2019s why we can achieve all that we have achieved.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe just want the members of the public to be sufficiently aware that the reason they are doing this is to score political goals and paint the governor, who is already enjoying the support of many Nigerians, with their black grudge.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The government of Kogi State has alleged a plot to smear the Governor of the state, Yahaya Bello…\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,22],"tags":[34,281],"yoast_head":"\n