By Abdullahi Suleiman Otiwe.
Earlier on Thursday 31st January 2019 at a Town Hall meeting of the All Progressive Congress (APC) convened by Engr. John Ibrahim Ocheje, the Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor, Chief Edward Onoja blamed the office of the Deputy Governor under Elder Simon Achuba for the failure of the government to deliver its mandate for the good people of Ibaji local government area.
The Chief of Staff was warmly welcomed by the large crowds at Onyedega the local government headquarter to attend the Town Hall meeting.
Speaking shortly after Engr. John Ibrahim gave the opening address, Onoja thanked the people for coming out in their number to honour the meeting.
While challenging the crowd, the Chief of Staff told them that they would be surprised by some of his revelations about to be given concerning their own son, the Deputy Governor whom he tagged “the enemy within.”
He noted with disappointment that since the inception of the Fourth Republic the area has continued to give political supports to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) without any benefit to show in terms of infrastructural developments or the elevation of any of their sons or daughters to the higher position of the state.
Recalling his roles in the nomination and the subsequent emergence of Elder Simon Achuba to the Deputy Governor position, he revealed that he took many factors in consideration before backing the Ibaji people to produce the “Number Two Position” of the state.
According to him: “Kogi East as a district is under-developed but there are three major local government areas in the district that suffer most.”
He cited Bassa, Ibaji and Olamaboro to be the three areas while remarking that Ibaji is worst amongst the most neglected areas.
In his deliberate attempt to favour Ibaji, the Chief of Staff said he stood beside Elder Simon Achuba for the Deputy Governorship position so that he might use his position to influence needed developments to the area and also to address the people’s sense of marginalisation.
“I took position on the Deputy Governor office in favour of Ibaji against all odds,” he emphasised.
The Chief of Staff to the Governor exposed the enemies within the Igala Kingdom causing lack of unity while recalling that the stakeholders around the Governor who were bent on saying that “the Ibaji people are not real Igalas but Igbos and as such should not be given the number two office.”
He called to witness the late Senior Advocate of Nigeria, late Chief James Ocholi whom he alleged to be one of those people he faced “against all odds.”
Disappointed however, the Chief of Staff said the reverse was the case on the side of the Deputy Governor, Elder Simon Achuba whom he regretted supporting. He felt that the personal interest of the latter did not betray him but his own very people.
According to the Chief of Staff, he revealed to the effect that an investigation is ongoing into the alleged undue interference of the Deputy Governor in accepting kick-back from the contractor in charge of the road contract awarded by the government in favour of the area.
He challenged the people to wait with great intrigue on the outcome of the said investigation which shall be made to the public. “At the end the people shall know whether the governor is the problem or their son” he challenged.
Revealing further the run of the play of the Deputy Governor in the administration of the Governor Yahaya Bello, the Chief recounted that at the onset the Deputy Governor wanted to generate frosty relationship between the Attah of Igala and the Governor.
He revealed that “there is a tape record where the Deputy Governor told the Attah that he would not gain anything from the government because the latter didn’t support President Muhammadu Buhari.”
While the Chief of Staff berated the Deputy Governor for being irresponsibly, he urged the good people of Ibaji to remain confident in the administration of the state Governor as all hands are on deck to bring the needed infrastructural developments to the area.
He equally urged them to pray for themselves and for any of their sons who would not disappoint them if given another opportunity in the future on their behalves.
Disappointed though that Ibaji remains most neglected, he called upon the people to use their PVCs in the forthcoming general elections and vote for the APC at all levels noting there is no better alternative than to vote the APC-led administration at all levels to complete their good intentions for the interest of the people.
