By Arogbonlo Israel

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, on Tuesday, charged the newly sworn-in chairmen and vice-chairmen of the 21 local government councils in the state to deal with criminals, noting that the security of their respective councils must be guaranteed under their watch.

Governor Bello gave this charge while speaking at the swearing-in of the chairmen and vice-chairmen after the just-concluded December 12 council polls in the state.

He reminded them that when his administration came on board, it met an already disbanded local government council, which his administration reinstated following a court order which his predecessor refused to acknowledge.

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He noted that although his administration believed that the people at the grassroots deserved leadership, his government was hindered by a lack of funds and could not conduct a council election.

The governor mentioned that as a government, they were able to pull resources together to conduct the recently concluded polls and with the cooperation of the people of the state the polls held without hiccups.

He asserted that similar events in the old Kwara State degenerated into chaos because of poor leadership, but that under his watch similar events went easily without a sound of a gunshot.

He noted that the newly-elected persons have gone through the blast furnace and have become firebrand leaders, who were competent as they have been tested enough to deliver.

Speaking in his opening address, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Salami Ozigi, noted that the overwhelming victory of All Progressive Congress, APC, at the polls was an attestation to Governor Bello’s good leadership.

He added that Governor Bello’s dogged commitment to leadership has birthed a peaceful Kogi State, which translated to the peaceful conduct of the council polls.

The commissioner urged the local government executives and others to replicate the New Direction development template in their various local areas, while justifying the confidence reposed in them by the electorate.

He also urged them to key in and replicate the already existing peace and security template of the governor, which he noted had earned the state several accolades locally and internationally, adding that they should ensure to carry all stakeholders along for the betterment of the people.

Vanguard News Nigeria