As the APC primary election in Kogi state draws nearer, we have seen the desperation of Governor Yahaya Bello to fly the All Progressive Congress’ party flag in the November 16 gubernatorial elections.
As for politics, I do not overlook the strength of Gov. Yahaya Bello. He is the leader of the party in the state and he has everything at his disposal to win the primary election. The odds are in his favor and this horrifies me.
The progressive in me is not happy that a man who has failed woefully will be given the chance to fly the party’s flag.
It is a known fact that the majority of Kogites are hoping and praying for Bello not to clinch the ticket, the truth is; he will win.
I can still vividly remember how Yahaya Bello conducted staff verification exercise for close to 24 months without a positive result. Civil servants were not paid during this period; they had to borrow money to travel down to Lokoja for the unending screening. My mom, a civil servant in the state did not receive a penny from the Bello led admin the year 2016. At some point, the government was paying her (a level 15 officer) salaries between twenty-five – thirty thousand naira.
Governor Bello is the first governor whose regime recorded the highest number of the death rate of civil servants and pensioners due to nonpayment of salaries and arrears. The governor was busy buying Toyota Venza cars for masquerades when the civil servants and even pensioners who have labored so hard for the state in their young age were not paid.
I have seen countless people who have lost their parents and loved ones due to the poor workers’ welfare. My eyes almost popped out of its sockets when I saw the governor boasting on a national TV that he no longer owes salaries. The governor lied, Bello still owes backlog of salaries. Civil servants have been condemned to penury as a result of being owed backlogs of salaries.
Bello’s mouth is full of lies and you dare not challenge him. Who will challenge the “White Lion”? Yahaya Bello has not commissioned a single project since he was sworn in as governor in January 2016. It is therefore appalling to see a man who has failed woefully in his first term as governor seeking a second term.
The Lord who rescued David from the claws of the Lion and the bear will rescue Kogi State from the hands of this “White Lion”.
– Folorunsho Olumide writes from Yagba West Local government, Kogi State.
