YAHAYA BELLO PROMISED ME SUCCESSION, DUMPED ME FOR ODODO A DAY TO PRIMARY — EX-KOGI DEPUTY GOV
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By: Sefiu Ajape
A former Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Edward Onoja, has revealed that ex-Governor Yahaya Bello promised him the governorship seat for four years but later withdrew his support on the eve of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries.
Onoja, currently a board member of the South-East Development Commission, made the disclosure during an interview on the MIC ON Podcast released on Saturday.
The former Chief of Staff, who later became Bello’s deputy, recounted how his principal encouraged him to prepare for succession throughout their tenure.
“For four years before 2023, he (Yahaya Bello) was the one who called me and said, ‘You will succeed me, get prepared.’ And of course, I planned, I worked, and when it was time, he gave all of us the opportunity to contest,” Onoja said.
He noted that Bello directed about seven cabinet members, including him, to purchase APC nomination forms.
However, Onoja stated that Bello eventually threw his weight behind the current governor, Usman Ododo.
“At the end of the day, his heart and his choice were with the current governor, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo,” Onoja stated.
He added that Bello only informed him of the change of plans a day before the primary, a decision he accepted despite his disappointment.
“When he broke the news to me a day before the primaries, I told him, ‘You are the boss, you are over me, what you see is what I see, so let’s go get the job done, but I hope you are not making a mistake.’ There were no issues, and then we went to the field and did our best for our candidate,” Onoja added.
Despite the setback, Onoja emphasized his loyalty to the APC, saying he worked for Ododo’s victory as Bello’s successor in the November 2023 election.
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