The Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, has dismissed reports that he approved the establishment of an office for his predecessor, Yahaya Bello.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives candidate for Dekina/Bassa Fender Constituency in the 2023 elections, Austin Okai, had asserted in a post via his official X handle on Monday that the new office will be domiciled in the Government House in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.
He indicated that the new office would be occupied by the immediate past Governor of the state, Yahaya Bello.
However, in a press release made available to journalists on Tuesday morning, the Kogi State government through the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ododo, Oladele John NIHI, stated that the viral claim is merely a fabrication created by individuals with malicious intentions.
The statement reads: “The attention of the Kogi State Government has been drawn to a mischievous report that the Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has approved the establishment of the “Office of the Immediate Past Governor” to be domiciled in the Government House.
“The fake news should be disregarded as the handiwork of psychotic mischief makers, who have been thrown into confusion by the unprecedented achievements of our former Governor, His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, CON, and the realisation that the good people of Kogi State sincerely appreciate this.
“The laughable report was concocted to create dissaffection and mislead the public but the authors failed woefully to confuse intelligent Nigerians.
“We thank the media for exercising restraint and detecting, on their own, that the report was fake.
“We, however, urge the general public to always fact-check before spreading fake news.”