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Apparently dissatisfied with the corruption rating of his state by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Governor Yahaya Bello, has dismissed the report, saying it was against the current realities in the confluence state.
            Governor Bello made the disclosure in Abuja on Thursday, December 12, while fielding questions from journalists after a meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, promised to use his second term to focus on human capital and infrastructure development to take Kogi state to the next level.  gathered that while reacting to the NBS report which listed Kogi as the most corrupt state in the country, the governor said the details of the report must be critically looked into and read before making any judgement. He said: “You have to look and read the details of that report before you can judge. We shouldn’t just listen to somebody and quote him out of context. Like I said, Kogi state before now, with regard to civil servants, before you become a permanent secretary, you must pay through your nose. But this time around, it has been merit-based. Before you become local government chairman, or let’s take it from the political aspect, I am the leader of the APC in Kogi state, no single person obtains form or becomes whatever and will claim or claiming to have paid one dime to any political leader. Bello also noted that it is out of blocking the loopholes and leakages that he was able to raise the revenue of the state from pittance of N300 million to over N1 billion on monthly basis, adding that "if you look at the percentage, then you can be the judge. So, if anybody is saying Kogi State is the most corrupt state, then that person must have his facts wrong. “Kogi state is the most prized state in the country and it is out of fighting corruption as well. The little resources we have, we are managing it such that we are developing the state and fighting insecurity. If corruption is that prevalent, then that wouldn’t have happened.”