Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has hinted that Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State may face prosecution for allegedly obtaining two voter’s cards after completing his tenure in 2019.
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Prof. Yakubu dropped this hint in an interview he granted Daily Trust.
The INEC boss said the commission maintained its stance that Gov. Bello did double registration, saying the Kogi office of INEC was investigating the matter.
When asked if the governor would face prosecution at the end of his tenure. He said, “This is not something one can comment on because it is dependent on whenever his tenure ends. For now, this is the action we have taken. Our constraint is that we cannot prosecute a serving governor. Let me reiterate that it is illegal to register more than once.”
Gov. Bello had denied allegations that he registered for the second time in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration [CVR) exercise.
The governor said he was out of the country on May 19 when the allegation was made against him saying it could be his ghost that did the double registration.
Gov. Bello said, “I travelled on May 19 to Dubai for a brief break, and I saw the press release. I was taken aback that I did double registration on the 23rd. Probably it is my ghost that has done the double registration.
“I think INEC has earned itself a very high reputation and I think and I am very confident that the leadership of INEC will not allow some elements in INEC to drag the name of the Commission into the mud.
“Surely that’s a falsehood. I did not do double registration of permanent voters card.”
