Our lives begin to end the day we stop to talk over things that matter and a lot of matters are not just on ground but of serious concerns. For the very first time a sitting governor is facing opposition from his own party since the history of Kogi state. A lot of first time events are ongoing in kogi state but silent tend to have taken over this abnormalities.
While it is normal for interest to govern our sense of reasoning, sometimes-it is better to speak the truth and leave other fate to destiny. It is unimaginable for a ruling party to deny its supposed leader as we have in Kogi state. While the government and supporters of the various camp are trying to shy away from the matter in public domains, the essence and arguments of the opposition are worthy of note.
As much as the cases may be, the major resolution of the APC stakeholders meeting held at Abuja was a vote of no confidence on the governor plus a four weeks ultimatum to clear payment of salaries and arrears owed. It is therefore worthy to commend the organizers of this meeting because “Kogi Masses are suffering and no interest should undermine the truth”. Since the commencement of the said screening exercise, it is by God’s grace that many families are surviving.
As unfortunate as the so far first and second results are, the outcome and remark of many affected staff clearly shows that it is more of a downsizing exercise than the verification it claims to have done. It did not only downsize but disenfranchised some kogites whose succor was during the last hour of the last government. On a particular note, several staff of the Kogi state university and teaching hospital Anyigba was declared ghosts on the ground that their appointments were politically motivated even when they have up to date and detailed credentials equivalent to their designations.
Also in this category is some staff of Kogi state college of education (technical) Kabba whose appointments carried out to meet up with the accreditation standard required of the college. Furthermore, some agencies that run contract arrangements to augment staff shortage can now hardly pay such staff as allocations have significantly dropped amidst rising needs and service charge.
As unfit as it has become for the APC to be unable to settle its internal disputes after one year on, it is still pertinent to call on all opposition parties in the state to rise from comfort zones and swing into action toward the actualization of a working kogi state. We must never forget that one of the penalties of not participating in politics is ending up under the rule of inferiors and we should not afford to get it wrong twice.
Comrade A. M. Nasir writes from Minna, Niger State
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