Yahaya Bello, the governor of Kogi State, has debunked reports that he is plotting to dump the All Progressive Congress (APC).
There were online reports insinuating Mr Bello had concluded plans to switch over to an opposition party in other to recontest for a second term in office. The state’s governorship election is slated to hold towards the end of the year.
But describing the report as laughable, the governor through Kingsley Fanwo, his spokesman, who addressed newsmen after the party’s stakeholders meeting in Mopamuro local government area, on Monday, said he remains the landlord of the ruling party and cannot leave the party he built.
“It is laughable to insinuate that a governor that just led our party to landslide and historic victory in the 2019 general elections is about to abandon his bungalow to rent a hut,” Fanwo said.
“If this is the kind of propaganda opposition wants to fly with, then they are not ready for the November 2nd electoral battle in the state.
“Governor Yahaya Bello is the landlord of Kogi APC. Anyone coming is a tenant. Where were those opponents when he built the party into what dwarfed others in the 2019 elections?” he said.
I OWE FOUR MONTHS SALARIES
The governor also said he was owing four months salaries against the claim of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) that he’s still owing workers from 8 to 38 months salaries.
“One of the questions our party members asked during the meeting was about the claim by labour that we are owing workers 38 months salaries,” the governor’s aide said.
“As far as government is concerned, we have paid 38 months salaries starting from September 2015. We have been in office for just 39 months. But we are still owing four months’ salaries because we started paying from the period we are yet to assume power.
“We are not in any power play with labour. We will continue to appreciate their understanding and we pledge to clear all arrears as soon as possible.
“We know how pivotal salaries are to microeconomics and we also know we owe other sectors of the public a good number of social amenities. Government will continue to manage the contending interests to serve a good number of the population,” he added.
