Members of Kogi State House of Assembly are under intense attack following their campaign tour to states to canvas support for the presidential ambition of Governor Yahaya Bello.
The lawmakers, who have visited Plateau, Ebonyi and Kogi states, have urged their colleagues to support the presidential ambition of Governor Bello, come 2023.
They noted that since the North Central is yet to produce a president, APC should consider zoning its presidential ticket to the geopolitical zone for Bello to contest under its platform.
During a visit to Ebonyi, the Speaker of Kogi House of Assembly, Matthew Kolawole, urged his counterpart to inform David Umahi to drop his rumoured quest for the presidency and support Bello’s bid for the top political seat in the country.
Mixed reactions have continued to trail the lawmakers’ campaign tour. Many Kogites have expressed reservations, alleging that the governor is bankrolling the campaign trips.
Idris Miliki Abdul, Executive Director of Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution faulted the lawmakers’ campaign trip to states.
He said the state’s parliament could be described as the worst assembly in terms of the number of bills passed, motions moved and the relationship that exists between the legislature and the people in terms of public hearing and encouragement of citizenry participation.
“Specifically speaking, what is happening in the state legislature is a product of idle mind”, he said, adding “These are people who don’t have anything or much to do.”
Also speaking, Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Muktar Attimah, said the speaker was only making a mockery of the people, adding that the state and its legislature were not serious.
He wondered why in a state that does not provide social amenities or paid workers their due salaries, the legislature has kept mute, adding, certainly it is not a serious state.
Speaking, the publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Bode Ogunmola, said no decision has been taken on the campaign tour.
However, the Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly, Prince Mathew Kolawole, has defended his action, saying, “There is no constitutional provision that frowns at the legislature for supporting the executive governor on his political ambition.”
He said the tour is bankrolled by him, insisting that the governor did not contribute anything to it.
