By The arrival of COVID-19 vaccines into the country, amidst the second wave of the pandemic, has met with positive reactions from most Nigerians.
However, Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello has a different — and controversial — opinion.
Bello had repeatedly stated that he doesn’t believe in the existence of the virus in his state.
Speaking on Friday when he featured on Channels Television programme, ‘Politics Today’, the governor once again said COVID-19 is not the business of the people of Kogi State.
According to Bello, the state has “more pertinent” issues to tackle, saying the virus is “the minute aspect”.
“COVID-19 is not our business in Kogi state. We have more prominent issues, more pertinent issues, more serious matters that we are attending to in Kogi state,” he said.
“Insecurity that we met, we’ve tackled it and several others. Disunity, we met it on ground and we have united Kogi state, not COVID-19.
“COVID-19 is just a minute aspect of what we’re treating in Kogi state or handling in Kogi state. There have been outbreaks of Lassa Fever, Yellow Fever — those we handled without making noise about it.”
The governor declared that if the federal government decides to provide vaccines to the state, he will see that those interested get vaccinated.
“If the federal government is gracious enough and gives us COVID-19 vaccine, we will equally sensitise our people, who wish to take it to come forward and take the vaccine,” he said.
“But I’m not going to subject the people of Kogi state to vaccination, or I will not make them guinea pigs.”
Responding to the question on whether he would take the vaccine like his other governors, Bello said: “I don’t need the vaccine; nothing is wrong with me. I’m hale and hearty — 100 percent hearty.”
