A civil society organisation, Forum of Concerned Kogi Youths, has called on the auditor-general for local government, Usman Ahmed Ododo, to shelve his ambition to become the next executive governor of Kogi State.
According to the forum, through its chairman, Mr Yusuf Musa, the amiable governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, should call Ododo to order and see reasons why he should halt his ambition.
He said the shoes of Governor Bello are too big for Ododo to step into.
According to him, the state has enjoyed a transformational leadership commitment under the leadership of Governor Bello.
To the forum, all sectors have been transformed and only a good and focus leader is needed at this time to sustain the achievements.
Musa said: “With all the above said, the case seems to be different for the local government sector despite the governor’s initiatives and interventions to rejig local government operational system when a rigorous screening exercise was carried out by his administration during his first tenure to fish out ghost workers, sanitize the system, and restore normalcy to all local government areas.
“You will then wonder why all these efforts seem to be a waste of time, energy and resources; as the local government sector has not been able to completely purge all its irregularities.
“What the people needs to know is a fact that His Excellency has tried his best as regards stabilizing this area of government, but his efforts are being frustrated by some elements in the system who do not wish the state and her people well but bent on mopping up funds at the local government level and utilising same funds for their own personal use.
“He did not perform well in office by our own standard, what then could be his dependable factor for him to think he could get the APC’s gubernatorial ticket?
“We want Ododo to provide us with records of his audits activities at the local government level. We demand for answers why our parents and relatives are still being paid the sickened percentage salaries/pensions. Ododo should halt his ambition and step aside as contender for the Lugard House.”
