Yahaya Bello Faces Backlash for Using Kogi Government Letterhead After Tenure

Former Kogi governor Yahaya Bello faces public outrage after posting — then deleting — a congratulatory letter to the new Chief of Army Staff using the official Kogi State Government letterhead, despite no longer in office

Yahaya Bello Under Fire for Using Kogi Government Letterhead After Leaving Office

Former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, has come under intense criticism after posting — and later deleting — a congratulatory letter to the newly appointed Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, written on the official Kogi State Government letterhead, despite no longer being in office.

The letter, which bore the state coat of arms and Bello’s signature as “Executive Governor,” sparked widespread outrage after being shared on social media. Critics accused the former governor of clinging to power and blurring the line between public office and personal identity.

In the letter, Bello congratulated the new Army Chief but included a controversial remark:

“It gives me renewed hope that my worthy successor, His Excellency, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, will now have you in his corner as he continues to tackle insecurity in his domain.”

Observers said the phrasing was problematic, as it suggested an inappropriate alignment between the military and a state governor, contrary to Nigeria’s federal command structure.

The civic accountability group @Kogi_Xcommunity first drew public attention to the issue.
In a viral post, the group wrote:

“Yahaya Adoza Bello, former Governor of Kogi State, has deleted his personally signed letter to the new Chief of Army Staff after facing backlash from netizens. Despite no longer being in office, he continues to use the official Kogi State Governor’s letterhead — sparking concerns.”

The post quickly gained traction, with thousands criticising Bello for overstepping his bounds and refusing to detach from the trappings of office.

@EmmanuelO_K wrote: “Even after leaving office, Yahaya Bello still writes like a sitting governor. It’s embarrassing how some people just can’t let go of power.”

@KogiWatchdog added: “Using state letterhead as a private citizen is a breach of protocol. It shows how Bello still sees Kogi as his property.”

Some of Bello’s supporters, however, claimed the letter might have been released by aides who failed to update his stationery, calling it a “media oversight.”

Public affairs analyst Yusuf M.A. described the incident as “a case study in power hangover,” noting that Bello’s actions reveal “a deep-seated attachment to authority.”

“The Chief of Army Staff reports only to the President, not to any state governor,” Yusuf said. “To imply that a governor could ‘have’ the COAS in his corner is institutionally wrong and politically dangerous.”

He added that Bello’s reference to Governor Ododo as “my worthy successor” further reinforced perceptions of a godfather complex.

Political analyst Dr. Ladi Olatunde said the incident highlights how optics shape public trust in democratic systems.

“When a former governor uses official letterhead, it suggests the office and the individual are inseparable — which undermines institutional credibility,” she said.

Timeline of Events

Some commentators have urged the Kogi State Government to clarify whether the use of state insignia by former officials constitutes an administrative infraction.

“Deleting the post doesn’t erase the optics,” Yusuf M.A. remarked. “If anything, it confirms Bello recognised his misstep — after the damage was done.”

For many Nigerians, the episode underscored a familiar theme in the country’s politics — the inability of some leaders to separate personal identity from public office.

“Statesmanship begins when the title ends,” Dr. Olatunde said. “But for Bello, the trappings of power seem harder to shed than the office itself.” Read More