Former Kogi State Deputy Governor, Edward Onoja, has revealed that ex-Governor Yahaya Bello promised him the governorship but withdrew support on the eve of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries.

Speaking on the MIC ON Podcast released on Saturday, Onoja recalled that while serving as Bello’s Chief of Staff and later as deputy governor, the former governor repeatedly encouraged him to prepare to succeed him.

“For four years before 2023, he (Yahaya Bello) was the one who called me and said, ‘You will succeed me, get prepared.’ And of course, I planned, I worked, and when it was time, he gave all of us the opportunity to contest,” Onoja said.

He explained that Bello ultimately backed the current governor, Usman Ododo.
“At the end of the day, his heart and his choice were with the current governor, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo,” Onoja stated.

Onoja said he was informed of the shift only a day before the primaries, a decision he accepted despite his disappointment.
“When he broke the news to me a day before the primaries, I told him, ‘You are the boss, you are over me, what you see is what I see, so let’s go get the job done, but I hope you are not making a mistake.’ There were no issues, and then we went to the field and did our best for our candidate,” he added.

He stressed that despite the setback, he remained loyal to the APC and supported Ododo’s victory in the November 2023 governorship election.