TheCable

A group, Kogi for Change, has threatened to sue Yahaya Bello, governor of the state, over alleged double registration.

In a statement signed by Omeiza Yakubu, its chairman, the group alleged that the governor who it said had registered as a voter in federal capital territory (FCT), re-registered in Kogi state during the recent voter registration exercise.

Double registration is against the law.

It also flayed INEC for registering the governor in his office at government house “even when there was no official registration centre designated for the place”.

“We got really concerned when we saw the picture of the governor (Yahaya Bello) being registered by an INEC official inside his office. Is the government house a registration centre? What happened to the INEC law that forbids double registration since the governor is already registered in Abuja?” the group asked.

“Then the question arises: Is the government house the ward or unit of Alhaji Yahaya Bello? Was he not supposed to register in his unit? Or is INEC going to create a special voting point for him inside his office during the next election? The impunity that unleashed the governor on the state is at work again and we are not going to take it lightly.

“As a matter of fact, we have decided as a group to take the matter to court. It is a criminal offence to engage in double registration.”

Reacting to the allegation, Fanwo Kingsley, director-general, media and publicity to the governor, said his principal re-registered in Kogi because INEC had not transferred his PVC as of that time.

“From the first day, the governor didn’t say he registered in Kogi. It even came to the forefront at the tribunals. He registered in Abuja. He never voted in Kogi state… The governor’s efforts to transfer the card from Abuja to Kogi has not been successful, hence the need to seize this opportunity to get registered in Kogi state,” he explained.

“Secondly, as the governor of the state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello is the chief mover of government policies. He must always lead by example. He needed to demonstrate that to the whole world to woo others to register. There was nothing wrong with registering in the governor’s office because it belongs to all Kogites. Government house is people’s house.”