More than 24 hours after the pronouncement of the Supreme Court terminating his continued stay in office as governor and a failed attempt to have his party’s candidate inaugurated as governor, former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, has just vacated the Government House, Lokoja.
Sources told The Eagle Online that Idris, who started moving his personal belongings out of the Government House at about 2am eventually left a few minutes ago.
It was learnt that a Hiace bus with registration number KGGH 109, had solely been moving the Governor’s belongings to a location within the state capital but which The Eagle Online could not confirm.
However, at about 3.30pm, a convoy of about 15 vehicles drove out of the Government House with the rest of his belonging.
These included the Hiace with registration number KGGH 109, KGGH 19, a Coaster bus with registration number EU 616 ABC, another with registration number AG 589 LKJ and a Peugeot wagon.
Idris is riding in a Lexus Jeep, with registration number covered, that sources said served as the official car of his wife, Hajia Zainab Idris, who was said to have thrown a party at the Government House yesterday for reasons that The Eagle Online could not ascertain.
It was learnt that the Lexus Jeep had already been prepared for the use of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the last gubernatorial election in the state, Captain Idris Wada,
Wada was initially sworn-in by the President of the state’s Customary Court, Ibrahim Shaibu Atadoga, before the attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, directed the speakers of the five states Houses of Assembly where the governors were ordered to vacate their seats by the Supreme Court should act as governors pending when elections would hold.
Sources said that Idris had been receiving visitors since yesterday and up till when he vacated the Government House.
Wada reportedly returned to the Government House at about 1am after he fled when the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdullai Bello, was sworn-in by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Nasir A. Ajanah.
Wada was said to have been part of those with Idris until he left the Government House.
Wada’s father, Ejiga Wada, whose age was put between 102 and 103, was also there.
Others who came to see Idris included members of the state House of Assembly from Kogi East.
His wife, Zainab, and a few of his daughters were also in the Government House up till the point of his departure.
It was learnt that only four riot policemen were left as security for the governor while the officers of the State Security Service who were in the Government House were there strictly to ensure he vacated the official residence of the governor on time so that Bello could move in.
Meanwhile, the Eagle Online has gleaned more information about Atadoga, who inaugurated Wada yesterday on the orders of Idris, after Ajanah refused to do so.
Atadoga, it was learnt, was called to Bar in 1986.
He hails from Omala Local Government Area of Kogi State.
It was learnt that he was recommended for the Bench, from his private practice, by Idris when he became the governor.
But when the initial move was rejected, Idris was said to have prevailed on the Ministry of Justice to take him in as a Director.
He later became the Permanent Secretary and Solicit-General of Kogi State.
It was from here that Atadoga became the President of the Customary Court of Appeal.
Sources said that the Customary Court of Appeal was created by the Idris administration.
On its creation, one Justice Otta was said to have been appointed as the first president of the court.
It was on the exit of Otta thart Atadoga was appointed to replace him.
However, sources in the state, especially in the Ministry of Justice, have said they were not surprised that Atadoga could swear-in Wada, contrary to the practice of the Chief Judge of the state swearing-in state governors.
They said this is because Atadoga is “Idris’ boy, with the former governor being instrumental to his rise in the civil service without the requisite experience, knowledge and qualifications.”
A source in the state said: “He is a product of politics. No one needs to wonder why he is now playing politics with that position or has allowed himself to be used as a pawn in the political desperation of Idris.”
Another source in Government House on Friday told The Eagle Online: “When the Chief Judge came under pressure from the former governor to swear in Capt. Wada, he diplomatically eased himself out of the place and refused to come back for the ceremony.
“Quickly, the Attorney General called on his willing ally, Ibrahim Shaibu Atadoga, to dress up for the ceremony.
“Atadoga, who had already come there with his ceremonial dress to play out an already rehearsed drama, quickly got dressed in the Judicial Red Robe to perform a function which he knew or ought to know was beyond his competence. As a matter of fact, the way the Attorney General guarded him into the hall simply demonstrated the desperation of Alhaji Ibrahim Idris and his stooge, Ibrahim Shaibu Atadoga.”
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