Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja

The Kogi State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described as ‘laughable’ the story told by Governor Yahaya Bello that he was owing workers in the state 24 months salaries because he was servicing inherited debt from previous administration.

In a statement issued and signed by Achadu Dickson, Director Research and Documentation, in Lokoja, on Monday, he lambasted the APC administration under Governor Bello, describing it as a sinking ship that is looking for every excuse to hide its shame and failures.

The PDP said the Capt. Idris Wada administration in the state handed over a state that was financially buoyant, with a debt profile of only N800 million to the present administration.

It  lamented that in just two years of the APC administration and the state is now indebted to the tune of N45 billion.

“While it is on record that Kogi State under Capt. Wada was the least indebted state in Nigeria, little wonder under the APC-led Federal Government administration it was to source N50 billion as bailout, which the Bello administration got but wasted N20 billion without paying the workers it was meant for.”

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The PDP said it remained proud that under its administration in the state as all workers got their pay as and when due.

It lamented a situation where after sacking about 15000 workers in the state, Governor Bello was still not able to pay salaries.

“While noting that it is on record that the present administration squandered a N10 billion loan it accessed even without the approval of the state assembly on account of the state workers, Governor Yahaya Bello is now looking for excuses over his inability to pay salaries of workers who on daily basis are dying by committing suicide, due to hunger, sicknesses, which could have been avoided if they had been paid.

“We call on the APC administration to either apologize for its failure having raped the state dry,  or bury its head in shame . we are however the happy that Governor Bello’s administration can point to about fifty water projects, hospitals, Schools, Kogi House, Kogi Hotels, the Confluence Park, and the completed Diagnostic Health Center it is repainting as some of the numerous projects it inherited

“We make bold to challenge the APC administration to list projects it has initiated and completed in spite of the several billions of Naira it has received, aside from a tale of corrupt enrichment by few persons in the administration which can be verified from personal properties in and around the state as well as in Abuja.

“We, therefore, call on the present administration to remain silent if it has nothing worthy aside lies it can use in deceiving Kogi Citizens as it’s time no doubt has come to an end as can be observed from the fractionalisation within the party,” the statement added.