While most governors in Nigeria are preparing to take their states consignment of the COVID-19 vaccine, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state has insisted he would not take the vaccine because he is hale and hearty.
Bello who disclosed this at the weekend said President Muhammadu Buhari could take the vaccine, but that he would not.
“Mr President is the leader of this country. I respect him so high; all of us respect him so much. We love him and he is leading by example. If he needs to take the vaccines and he takes it, it is a welcome development.
“As far as I am concerned, I as a person, I don’t need to take vaccines. There is nothing wrong with me, I am hale and hearty. I am 100 per cent healthy. I won’t take any vaccine,” he said.
Bello stated that COVID-19 is not the business of people in Kogi State, saying that the state had more pertinent issues and more pertinent matters that it was attending to in Kogi State.
He said his administration met insecurity and is tackling it, among several other challenges.
“Disunity, we met on the ground and we have united Kogi State today not COVID-19. COVID-19 is just a minute aspect of what we are treating or handling in Kogi State; there have been outbreaks of Lassa fever and Yellow Fever and those were handled without making noise about it.
“The last Yellow Fever (outbreak), we vaccinated our people against Yellow Fever, we encouraged them, we educated them and they felt the impact,” he said.
Bello said if the Federal Government is gracious enough and gives Kogi COVID-19 vaccines, his government would equally sensitise its people and that those who wished to come and take the vaccine could come and take it.
“But I am not going to subject the people of Kogi State to vaccines or vaccination and I will not make them the guinea pigs,” he said.