Confusion over reports of Gov Ododo ‘bounced’ at NASS during service chiefs confirmation

There is confusion over claims that Governor Usman Ododo ofKogi State was “bounced” from the Senate during the confirmation of the newChief of Army Staff, Major-General Waheedi Shaibu, at the National Assembly onWednesday. Governor Ododo was at the National Assembly for theconfirmation hearing in solidarity with Shaibu, who hails from Kogi State. Ododo was said to have been prevented from accessing theSenate during the confirmation hearing, a situation that makes it the secondtime such a measure would be meted out against him. It was gathered that officials of the National Assembly saidno other state governor showed up in solidarity with the service chiefs fromtheir states, hence Ododo won’t be allowed access. The governor was first barred fromthe Senate during the confirmation of the substantive Chairman of theIndependent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan – whoalso hails from Kogi State. A source who spoke with DAILY POST, said: “Governor UsmanOdodo was again bounced from the Senate. The governor came into the Senate insolidarity with the just appointed Chief of Army staff from Kogi State. “This is the second time they are walking the governor outof the Senate. He is always coming to attend most of these events that are notpolitical. “He came for the confirmation hearing of the INEC Chairmanand the Senate turned him down that he was not supposed to be there. It’sbecoming embarrassing and that’s why they asked him to go back from theconfirmation hearing. “Today again, you know the Chief of Army Staff came fromKogi State and he came again and they had to ask him to go back because it’spromotion by rank and not a political appointment. “They told him that the Chief of Defence Staff came fromEkiti, Chief of Naval Staff came from Kano and none of their governors came,only Kogi. I don’t know who is managing him.” The source added that no invitation was extended to Ododo toattend the event. Baseless lies – Kogi Govt However, in a quick reaction, Kogi State Commissioner forInformation and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, described the reports that Ododowas “bounced” as “baseless” wondering why anybody would think or believe that achief executive of a state would be walked out of the Senate. Speaking with DAILY POST, Fanwo said Ododo “attended thescreening of the INEC Chairman to lend his support and solidarity as the INECChairman is from Kogi State”. He added, “Today, I was with him as he went to also givesupport to the new Chief of Army Staff who was to be screened by the Senate. Hemet with some senators from the state and other stakeholders.” The commissioner said the governor left the NationalAssembly to submit the report of the Ekiti All Progressives Congress, APC,Governorship Primary as the chairman of the committee that organized theprimary. “So no one walked him out of the National Assembly. “Come to think of it, on what ground would anyone walk himout of the National Assembly? Did he violate any rule? We were there for overan hour and the new Chief of Army Staff arrived before we left. “The National Assembly is a responsible and respectedinstitution which has communication lines. Have you found out from them whetheranything of such happened?” He noted that “some disgruntling politicians” are trying to“spread falsehoods and baseless lies”.

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