There is confusion over claims that Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State was “bounced” from the Senate during the confirmation of the new Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Waheedi Shaibu, at the National Assembly on Wednesday.

Governor Ododo was at the National Assembly for the confirmation hearing in solidarity with Shaibu, who hails from Kogi State.

Ododo was said to have been prevented from accessing the Senate during the confirmation hearing, a situation that makes it the second time such a measure would be meted out against him.

It was gathered that officials of the National Assembly said no other state governor showed up in solidarity with the service chiefs from their states, hence Ododo won’t be allowed access.

DAILY POST learnt that the governor was first barred from the Senate during the confirmation of the substantive Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan – who also hails from Kogi State.

A source who spoke with DAILY POST, said: “Governor Usman Ododo was again bounced from the Senate. The governor came into the Senate in solidarity with the just appointed Chief of Army staff from Kogi State.

“This is the second time they are walking the governor out of the Senate. He is always coming to attend most of these events that are not political.

“He came for the confirmation hearing of the INEC Chairman and the Senate turned him down that he was not supposed to be there. It’s becoming embarrassing and that’s why they asked him to go back from the confirmation hearing.

“Today again, you know the Chief of Army Staff came from Kogi State and he came again and they had to ask him to go back because it’s promotion by rank and not a political appointment.

“They told him that the Chief of Defence Staff came from Ekiti, 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 to attend the event.

Baseless lies – Kogi Govt

However, in a quick reaction, Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, described the reports that Ododo was “bounced” as “baseless” wondering why anybody would think or believe that a chief executive of a state would be walked out of the Senate.

Speaking with DAILY POST, Fanwo said Ododo “attended the screening of the INEC Chairman to lend his support and solidarity as the INEC Chairman is from Kogi State”.

He added, “Today, I was with him as he went to also give support to the new Chief of Army Staff who was to be screened by the Senate. He met with some senators from the state and other stakeholders.”

The commissioner said the governor left the National Assembly to submit the report of the Ekiti All Progressives Congress, APC, Governorship Primary as the chairman of the committee that organized the primary.

“So no one walked him out of the National Assembly.

“Come to think of it, on what ground would anyone walk him out of the National Assembly? Did he violate any rule? We were there for over an hour and the new Chief of Army Staff arrived before we left.

“The National Assembly is a responsible and respected institution which has communication lines. Have you found out from them whether anything of such happened?”

He noted that “some disgruntling politicians” are trying to “spread falsehoods and baseless lies”.

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