The Kogi state governor-elect, Alhaji Yahaya Bello said he is not prepared to join issues with Hon James Abiodun Faleke over the Kogi governorship election.
Faleke was reported to have said he would not attend the inauguration of Bello, neither would he support him.
Bello’s reaction was contained in a statements issued on Tuesday in Abuja, and signed by his media aide, Suleiman Abdulmalik.
According to him, dialogue remains the best solution to party issues, saying he has absolute confidence in the leadership of the party to end the disagreement.
He described Faleke as a brother and that, what is happening in the state is a family affair.
“I will continue to appeal to him and others to join hands with me in moving Kogi state forward, in politics we agree and disagree but dialogue remains the only solution to issues,” he said.
He noted that what happened “in my state is an act of God.”
Bello disclosed that the ongoing reconciliation in the state has paid off, saying most of late Audu supporters are now with him. “Those who matter in Audu’s camp are already working for me even before the supplementary election and that the reconciliation effort greatly help in defeating the PDP,” he said
The statement also advised Hon. James Faleke to accept the outcome of the election as the wish of God.
Meanwhile, the Kogi State Governor Idris Wada yesterday announced the setting up of a transition committee to facilitate handover to a new government.
Wada, who lost his bid for a second tenure, will hand over to Alhaji Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who won last Saturday’s poll.
However, Wada, while addressing Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) stakeholders at a meeting in Lokoja said he would challenge the result of the election in court.
The incumbent governor, whose four- year term will end on January 26, said he wanted to seek interpretation of the law and relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act in connection with the election.
He further stated that the transition committee, to be headed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Olugbemiro Jegede, was expected to manage the process leading to the hand over on January 27.
The committee, Wada noted, would work with a similar committee by the APC to ensure a smooth transition.
He also set up a steering committee to be headed by Deputy Governor Yomi Awoniyi.- Additional reports from The News, The Nation.
