Simon Achuba Appointed As Kogi Deputy Governor

Hon. Simon Achu­ba has been appointed as  the new deputy governor of Kogi state by Governor Yahaya Bello.
In a letter to the House of As­sembly, Governor Bello asked the lawmakers to confirm Hon. Achu­ba as his deputy following the vac­uum created by the refusal of Hon. James Faleke, the running mate to the late Prince Abubakar Audu, to accept the office.
Faleke was the running mate to the late Audu in an election that was inconclusive following the death of Audu in that election.
The House of Representatives member (Faleke), who was touted to step in with Bello as the depu­ty, declined on the ground that he was rather the one to be sworn in as governor following the death of his boss and not Bello.
However, the All Progressives Congress (APC) after an exten­sive attempt to convince Faleke into accepting the deputy gover­norship slot went ahead and inau­gurated the administration of Bel­lo on January 27 without a deputy governor, the first in Nigeria’s con­temporary politics.
Since Bello assumed office a fortnight ago, the state had been without a deputy governor, a de­velopment that had generated in­tense debate in the public square.
The ap­pointment of Hon Achuba by Governor Bello is an attempt to placate the Igala nation which had hitherto been outraged by the death of Prince Audu. More­so, the Igala people of the state had since its creation ruled Kogi, a po­sition it was not willing to relin­quish, which had generated bad blood among the various ethnic groups in the state.
A copy of the letter written by Bello reads: “In line with the pro­vision of Section 186 of the Con­stitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended, I have the pleasure to forward herewith, the name of Hon. Simon Achuba for approval of appointment as the deputy governor of Kogi State.
“Hon. Achuba (JP) hails from Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State and was a two-time honourable member of the state House of Assembly from 1999 to 2007 where he was Deputy-Speak­er during his second tenure.
“In view of the above, it will be highly appreciated if the request is treated and approved with utmost speed to pave way for his assump­tion of office,” Bello said.
Following the receipt of the letter, the Assembly has fixed to­morrow for the screening and pos­sible confirmation of Hon. Achu­ba as deputy governor.