Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State was reported to have fallen off while alighting from his official car last Friday and injured his left foot, in a statement from the Kogi State Government House, Lokoja, said on Tuesday.
The statement signed by Mr. Kingsley Fanwo, Director–General, Media and Publicity to the governor, said that the incident happened at the old market area in Lokoja, when the governor was waiting to receive the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.
The Speaker visited Lokoja for the burial of Umar Buba Jibril, a member of the House of Representative, who died in Abuja on that Friday.
“The injury prevented the governor from attending the burial of Mr Jibril. He was represented by his deputy, Simon Achuba,” the statement said.
It dismissed claims that Mr. Bello was hospitalised and incapacitated, stating that the governor was promptly treated by his doctors, who bandaged the leg and discharged him.
The statement thanked the governor’s supporters for their concern over his health, saying he (Bello) was doing well and would resume work after the Easter holidays.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the clarification was necessitated by reports that the governor was critically injured in the accident.
However, a source who witnessed the accident told Newsmen that the Governor, who was trying to alight from his car, a BMW which is smaller than his official Prado Jeep, tripped and sprained his left ankle and his two arms.
The eyewitness disclosed further that the car dragged the governor for some metres before he was rescued by some people and his security details.
He added that the governor was rushed to one of the private hospitals in Abuja for further treatment.
But Fanwo, in a statement on Tuesday, said Bello only injured his left foot while alighting from the vehicle.
Due to the accident, Bello on Tuesday attended a meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on crutches.
The meeting was between President Muhammadu Buhari and all the governors elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Bello attracted the attention of his colleagues and others when he arrived the Council Chambers venue of the meeting on crutches.
