The second term ambition of Yahaya Bello, the governor of Kogi State has been threatened by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
Mr Bello who was sworn in as the state governor in 2016 has the work-force body to battle with if he fails to clear off their wages before the state’s governorship election slated for November 2.
While the governor claims not to have paid salaries since this year, the workers are saying otherwise, insisting they have not been paid for over 30 months.
Despite the governor’s claim, the workers repeated their position today at the celebration of their day (May Day) in Lokoja, the state capital.
The chairman of the NLC in the state, Onu Edoka, said workers in the state will re-elect the governor if he pays up the wages they are being owed.
He said if the electoral body in the country will ensure their votes count, workers in the state will decide the next fellow to govern the state.
“If you pay our salaries, leave bonuses and implement our promotions, we assure you that we shall stand by you,” Mr Edoka told the governor represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Folashade Ayoade-Arike.
“If only the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would make their votes count, workers would decide the next governor of the state on Nov. 2.
“Workers have the power to determine the next governor of the state and would prove it in the state governorship election slated for November 2, if only the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would make our votes count,” he said.
Responding, Mr Ayoade-Arike stated that the state government owed workers five months salaries, saying the last was paid in November 2018.
The SSG also said the government would meet with labour leaders and decide on modalities to adopt for its implementation of the new N30,000 minimum wage.
