The peaceful co-existence between the Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello and his deputy, Hon Simon Achuba, is been threatened because of an alleged crack between the two.
The deputy governor, according to sources, had in the last seven months being facing treatments that were allegedly deliberate to frustrate him out of office.
It was gathered on Tuesday that the sources of power to the deputy governor’s office, which was directly from the dedicated line of the governor’s office has been cut off for months.
Apart from this, water supply into to the office was also said to be having problems, making the number two man and the workers have a hectic time using the office.
Sources also alleged that the salary of the deputy governor was last paid in February, while his wife’s salary was stopped the following month.
The development, according to sources, had made him appear in the office once in a while as he also has not been attending public functions.
Although the embattled deputy governor had always carried on as if all was well and had never complained publicly about the way he was being treated, sources stated that his travails had been on for many months.
Indications that all may not be well with the deputy governor continued on Monday as the administrator of his local government area of Ibaji, Hon Tom Offor, was removed allegedly without Achuba’s knowledge.
The local government boss was said to be holding an official function with the wife of the governor, Rashida Bello, in attendance in Ibaji when his removal was announced in the media.
It was further gathered that the deputy governor attempted to inquire from the governor about the removal of the chairman but the governor denied any knowledge of the development.
But the governor, while reacting to the development, said the relationship with his deputy had remained cordial as they had been working together for the development of the state.
Bello, who spoke through his special adviser on media and publicity, Kingsley Fanwo, said the story of a rift between him and Achuba was a creation of mischief makers that wanted to capitalise on the current political environment in the state.
According to Fanwo, the deputy governor last represented the governor at the swearing-in ceremony of the Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, saying he had been functioning without inhibitions.
He also described the removal of the Ibaji local government area administrator as a government routine, adding that the local government boss was only redeployed as Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Power.
According to him, the removal of the administrator of Ibaji on account of his funding the deputy governor was a ruse, saying it was not in the culture of administrators in the state to service individuals but the grassroots.
Achuba was appointed by Bello as a replacement for the deputy governorship candidate of the party in the 2015 election, Hon James Faleke, who refused to serve as deputy following the death of the governorship candidate, Abubakar Audu.
Credit: Tribune
