Yahaya Bello sees COVID-19 as advanced malaria — Kogi speaker

Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello
Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello

Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly Matthew Kolawole on Tuesday said Governor Yahaya Bello’s insistence that COVID-19 was a ruse was to ensure that the virus did not set the state’s economy backward.

Kolawole spoke when the Correspondents Chapel of Kwara Council of the NUJ awarded him a medal for his contributions to youth empowerment.

“It is not that the governor is not accepting the fact that there is a virus called Covid-19,” the speaker said.

“He just wants us to know it is an advancement of malaria which is not really a big deal.

“That is why Kogi has refused to lock down ever since the emergence of the virus because we don’t want what will negate our economy the more.’’

He also told newsmen that the Kogi legislature supported Bello’s presidential ambition to compensate the North Central geopolitical zone.

“So, it will not be a bad idea if we have a president from this geopolitical zone as all other zones have been represented either as president or vice-president,’’ Kolawole said.

He said state lawmakers passed a vote of confidence on the Kogi governor as a young and dynamic leader, and for his achievements on security, women and youth empowerment and stability of the state’s civil service.