Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello has denied reports that he was owing workers salaries before the just-concluded governorship election in the state which saw him emerge the winner.

KanyiDaily had reported on Monday, that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Yahaya Bello the winner of the gubernatorial election in Kogi.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday, Governor Bello described reports of him owing salaries as “lies.”

“All these reports of me owing salaries are lies. Past governors of Kogi State were owning salaries starting from Audu to my immediate predecessor. Kogi state is not owning any dime at the state level, what is left is the ten percent from the previous government.

“As for El-Rufai kneeling, he was begging that Kogi people should forgive Bello for ensuring security and ensuring the state was peaceful and not because he could not pay salaries.”

The governor, who accepted that there was violence during the election, alleged that thugs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stabbed a resident after he was declared winner of Saturday’s election.

Bello also alleged that the wife of his deputy was also shot at after he emerged winner of the election. He said:

“After I was declared winner, a PDP thug stabbed somebody and ran into the house of their women leader but he was caught and dealt with.

“My deputy governor-elect’s wife was shot at but thank God she didn’t die, the police are looking into it and would bring the culprits to book.”