Ex- Kogi Dep Gov accuses Bello of betrayal of governorship position agreement

Former deputy governor of Kogi State, Edward David Onoja, has accused his former boss and governor, Yahaya Bello of reneging on the promise of supporting him to become governor of the state.

He lamented how his hope of succeeding Bello was dashed when the former governor dumped him to support the incumbent governor Ahmed Ododo for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

promised him the governorship seat for four years, only to switch support to Ahmed Usman Ododo just a day before the APC primary election.

Onoja, in a podcast on Saturday said “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)”

He explained that several cabinet members, including himself, purchased APC nomination forms on Bello’s directive, but it became clear that Bello’s preferred choice was Ododo, who now governs the state. .

“At the end of the day, his heart and his choice was with the current governor, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo,” Onoja said.

The former deputy governor recounted that Bello broke the news to him just a day before the primaries — a move that left him disappointed but not rebellious.

“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. 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,” he added.

Onoja stressed that despite being sidelined, he threw his weight behind Ododo to ensure APC’s victory in the November 2023 governorship election, adding that his loyalty to his party and state remain unflinching.