INEC confirms Governor Bello’s voter’s card transfer

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Kogi State, on Monday confirmed that the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has transferred his voters card to the state from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The commission in a statement by the head of department, voters education and publicity, Ahmed Biambo, said the governor had satisfied the conditions needed for transfer of voters card.


According to him, the governor had earlier in the year applied for the transfer of his card from Abuja to Okene in Okene local government area of the state having earlier registered in the FCT.

The statement read, “The Independent National Electoral Commission wishes to inform the public that the Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello formally applied for transfer of his Voters Card on 26th January 2018, through the electoral officer, INEC Okene Local Government Area.

“Having satisfied the requirements for such transfer in accordance with the provisions of the electoral act and guidelines, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Kogi State approved the transfer of his registration from the Federal Capital Territory Abuja to Okene local government area of Kogi State.

“In granting the approval, the resident electoral commissioner acted in accordance with the provision of the law and guided by INEC and no favour was granted or shown to the Governor”.

It would be recalled Bello had last Friday visited the Okene office of the commission to collect a new Temporary Voters Card (TVC) with confusion over his mission at the INEC’s office.

The development made the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) raise the alarm and demanded that INEC explain to the people the mission of the governor in its office.

The party through its director of research and documentation, Dickson Achadu, said the governor was culpable, having been registered twice, once in Abuja and another one in Kogi State Government House.

The party said INEC must come clear with what is happening and the circumstances surrounding the governor’s double registration, most especially that the governor had been dragged to Court, having allegedly registered twice as even alleged by INEC.

The Party said INEC must reassure the Kogi State citizens of its readiness to conduct a free, fair and credible poll in 2019, as the governor’s action is making it lose confidence.

The party said, “It is unimaginable that having confessed to not being able to transfer his PVC before 2015 and the governor’s second registration held in Kogi Government House, Lokoja, INEC can still participate in the drama that took place at INEC office Okene.”