SIR: From the political imbroglio currently rocking Kogi State, it can be aptly said that the dust surrounding the returning of Yahaya Bello as the governor-elect of Kogi State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is yet to settled following the uproar that is still being generated over the declaration. This is apart from the challenging of INEC’s decision in court, by Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, over the declaration of the November 21, 2015 as inconclusive.

In view of the fact that all the legal avenues are open to Faleke in challenging the declaration of Yahaya Bello who never participated in the electioneering that paved way for the victory of the All Progressives Congress on November 21, 2015 are yet to be fully explored, it behoves on the Federal Government or any of its agencies particularly the Central Bank of Nigeria to continue to withhold the N50.8 billion bailout fund to the state until final court’s determination on who rightful governor-elect is between Faleke whose joint ticket garnered over 240,000 votes as against Yahaya Bello who secured only 6000 votes in the supplementary election that was purely the brainchild of INEC with no recourse to the relevant electoral act on declaration of result vis-à-vis the number of voided votes or cancellation of election results for one reason or the other.

Without mincing words Kogi people cannot fold their arms while the bailout, which burden of repayment will be borne by the present and their unborn generations is eventually mismanaged or embezzled by an illegitimate government. After all, we have witnessed many cases in the history of our democracy where INEC declared a winner as a state governor only for the Supreme Court to declare the electoral body’s choice as null and void.

• Odunayo Joseph,
Kogi State.