News

Why Ex-Kogi Gov Yahaya Bello May Be In Trouble

Published

2 years ago

February 8, 2024

Indications appeared last night that the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, might have run into trouble with some powerful forces in the All Progressives Congress, who are now ready to pay him back in his own coin, barely a few weeks after leaving office.

A top federal government official told Vanguard on Thursday that the former governor had stepped on some toes while in office by some of the decisions he took, which the party did not like but could not do anything about it because of his closeness to the Buhari administration.

The official explained that although the former governor remains a towering figure in the ruling APC, some of his actions while in office, are said to have irked some forces close to the Presidency and they are unwilling to let him go scot-free.

Among the issues, which Vanguard learnt, might come back to haunt Yahaya Bello, is his high profile campaign to become the president of Nigeria while the current president, Bola Tinubu, was the clear frontrunner to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Do not forget that Yahaya Bello mobilised heavily to become the president of Nigeria despite knowing that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had been endorsed by the APC and he only gave up the ambition after being rounded defeated by Tinubu at the Eagles Square.

“Although, the former Kogi State Governor has since aligned with Mr. President and earned his support during the governorship election in Kogi State, which was won by the APC’s Ahmed Usman Ododo now the Executive Governor of Kogi State, there are feelings that those who were uncomfortable with the stance of the former Governor against the zoning arrangement in the APC and the fact that he might still habour a presidential ambition come 2027 have not taken their eyes off the former Governor of Kogi State.

“Don’t also forget that the same governor denied the existence of Covid-19 and acted against all the measures adopted by the federal government in conjunction with the international community to stave off the deadly disease, a development that seriously embarrassed the government and people of Nigeria, but there was nothing the party could do at the time.

“Now, those who lost out from the many economic and financial benefits that might have accrued to the state are still unhappy with the same former governor, who feels he did something extraordinary to save his state and people,” the top official explained.

“As if these were not enough, there were posters last week at the APC Secretariat indicating that the former governor wanted to replace the APC National Chairman, who was just elected some months back. These are some of the issues, which have riled some powerful elements and ex-governor Bello needs to be very careful with his actions,” the top APC official warned.

Vanguard also gathered that the last governorship election in Kogi State, which Bello still had an upper hand by installing his successor, came with huge collateral damage and cracks that reinforced deep animosity within the rank of the APC and tribal fault lines in the state.

It was gathered that the former governor has earned fewer friends in the aftermath of the election in which some leading APC leaders actively supported the opposition candidate in the state in a bid to vent their disapproval of Bello.

According to reliable sources, many of those behind the plot to deny the APC victory in the election are still uncomfortable with Bello and would not want to see him emerge as a power broker within the party anymore.

It was not clear whether any of these issues had any relationship with the sudden amendment of charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to include the former governor to answer charges over the alleged laundering of N80 billion fund belonging to the Kogi State Government.

It could not be established whether Bello was initially removed from the charge by EFCC because of his immunity as a governor or whether there are other factors behind his inclusion in the amended charge, even though he was the not the governor at the time the EFCC said the offence was committed in 2015.
VANGUARD

News

Court Dissolves Petitioner’s Marriage Over Lack Of Love, Care

Published

4 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

An Area Court sitting at Centre-Igboro, Ilorin in Kwara State, on Thursday, dissolved the four-year-old marriage between Aminat Mustapha and Wahab Adeshina, following the petitioner’s insistence.

The petitioner told the court that she was no longer interested in her marriage to her husband following claims of lack of love and care.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), while delivering ruling, the presiding judge, Mr Toyin Aluko, held that the respondent had written to the court, accepting the divorce application made by his wife.

Aluko, consequently, dissolved the marriage between the parties, and ordered the woman to observe one month iddah (waiting period) before she could remarry.

Meanwhile, the court granted custody of the two children in the marriage, ages one and three, to their mother.

He ordered the father to pay a monthly sum of N20,000 for the children’s feeding and maintenance.

The court also held that the respondent will be responsible for their education and healthcare.

Again, the court held that the father has unrestricted access to his children, but at reasonable time adding that he should be notified before any decision is taken on his children.

The judge ordered the petitioner to get a copy of the judgment and send same to the respondent.

News

Tinubu Embarks On Three-state Visit

Published

5 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Saturday on a working visit to Borno, Bauchi and Lagos.

This is contained in a statement issued by Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on Friday in Abuja.

While in Borno, the President will commission projects executed by the Borno State Government under Gov. Babagana Zulum, in collaboration with the Federal Government.

He will also attend the wedding ceremony of Sadeeq Sheriff, son of former Borno Governor, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, and his bride, Hadiza Kam Salem.

From Maiduguri, Tinubu will proceed to Bauchi State to condole with the state government and the family of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, the renowned Islamic cleric and leader of the Tijjaniyya Muslim Brotherhood.

Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi died on Nov. 27.

After the condolence visit, the President will travel to Lagos, where he will spend the end-of-year holidays.

During his stay in Lagos, Tinubu is expected to attend several engagements, including the Eyo Festival scheduled for Dec. 27.

The festival, to be held at Tafawa Balewa Square, will honour notable personalities, including the President’s late mother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, former Lagos State governors Alhaji Lateef Jakande and Chief Michael Otedola.

News

My Wife Dented My Image, Took Our Marital Crises To Radio Stations — Husband

Published

5 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

…He ran away from home after I was delivered of twins —Wife

Grade A Customary Court sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has ruled that a couple, Folaji and Ifedayo should go their different ways after it pronounced their marriage dissolved.

The court president, Mrs S.M Akintayo, who gave the judgment, stated that this was imperative to dissolve the marriage for peace to reign.

The plaintiff, Folaji, who dragged his wife to court, accused her of not loving him, always fighting him, and sometimes displaying violence.

Folaji explained that the root of their differences was Ifedayo’s bias for his mode of worship.

According to the plaintiff, he attends a white garment church, which mode of worship the defendant abhors and therefore refused to attend services with him.

Folaji also said that Ifedayo concealed from him the fact that she was suffering from a particular ailment, which he became aware of after she was advised at the hospital to carry out series of tests.

Folaji stated that the differences between him and his wife degenerated to the level that he became a regular face at the police station and also at radio stations, where his wife took their matters to.

The plaintiff told the court that the defendant had done a lot of damage to his image, and thus prayed the court to put an end to their relationship so that he could pick up the pieces of his life.

The plaintiff sought easy access to their children and promised to give them feeding allowance weekly.

He further requested an order restraining his wife from threatening him and from interfering with his private life.

Ifedayo, in her response, agreed that their union be dissolved.

She stated that her husband was inhumane and that he packed out of their house before she was discharged from the hospital after she put to bed a set of twins.

The defendant further said that the plaintiff had never visited her and their children since he walked out of their marriage.

According to her, her husband sent her N20,000 through his counsel after he dragged her to court, but that she declined it because it was a ridiculous amount to feed a set of twins.

Folaji, in his testimony, said: “My lord, my wife, and I had a proper wedding, and I paid her bride price.

“I expected my wife to be submissive to me and do my binding, but the reverse is the case.

“My wife is stubborn and troublesome.

“She swore never to attend my church because it’s a white garment church and that she loathes our way of worship.

“The more I encouraged her to attend, the more she kept her distance.

“She later reluctantly agreed to attend service once a month.

“My wife is secretive. She hid from me for years the fact that she was nursing an ailment. I only became aware of this when the doctor confirmed it after she went through a series of tests when she took ill.

“My wife, rather than being remorseful, decided to make life tough for me.

“She became troublesome and never ceased to fight me.

“She is violent and always hit and harmed me with any dangerous objects within her reach.

“We always dragged ourselves to the police station where we became a regular face.

“My wife, determined to dent my image, took our issues to radio stations where I was invited and our differences were aired.

“I walked out of our marriage when I could no longer tolerate my wife’s misbehaviour.

“She reported me again at the welfare office and, after mediating in our differences, I was asked to provide her with foodstuff and not money, which I did on a regular basis.

“But she has insisted that I would not have rest of mind.

“I pray this court to dissolve our marriage and grant me free access to our children. I promise to make provision for their upkeep on a weekly basis.

“I further request an order restraining my wife from threatening and interfering with my private life.”

Ifedayo, in her response, said: “I agree that our marriage be dissolved. My husband is inhumane and has no conscience, which were the causes of the crisis we experienced in our marriage.

“I was admitted in the hospital to be delivered of our set of twins, but I returned to meet an empty house. My husband deserted me and our newborn children.

“He never checked on them nor gave anything for their upkeep. He only gave them N20,000 of recent through his counsel after he came to court.

“I rejected the money because such an amount can not feed sufficiently two children of their age, not to mention other needs.

“I plead that the court grant me custody of our children and make my husband responsible for their upkeep.

“I want him to give attention to their feeding and pay their school fees as and when due.

“He should likewise be available any time they need medical attention.”

Giving her judgment, Mrs Akintayo said although both had a valid customary marriage and bride price was paid, the court had no choice than to grant their prayers of divorce since they now express their disinterest in it.

Akintayo ruled that they were no longer husband and wife.

She granted custody of their children to the defendant, stating that they were still minors in need of motherly care.

The defendant was granted access to their children on a weekly basis while he was ordered to be responsible for their welfare.