Bello abandons governance in Kogi over 2023 presidential ambition – Okai claims

A Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Austin Usman Okai has berated Kogi State governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, saying he has relocated to Abuja in pursuit of 2023 presidential ambition.

In a statement he personally signed and sent to CAPITAL POST in Lokoja on Tuesday, Okai explained that the governor and his Chief Staff now play host to Kogi top government officials who come around prostrating before them in Abuja for stipends to run affairs of the State.

According to him, governance has collapsed in Kogi, which, unfortunately, everyone is living in fear.

He said: “Majority of people and organized labour have decided to remain mute for the fear of the unknown.

“Even the State Assembly member that were supposed to represent the third arm of the government in the State is not functioning as the governor has blantantly refused to provide members with official vehicles.

“The so-called “elected” local government Chairmen are being compelled to sign cheques for projects that are not in existence in an effort to cover up funds being wasted on daily basis.”

Okai in the statement told the governor to stop treating workers as slaves, maintaining that Civil Servants are the bedrock of the State.

He frowned at stipends of N20,000 or N30,000 irrespective of grade level of civil servamtsbin the State.

He further claimed in the Statement that: “Local Government workers, secondary school teachers, and other employees of the State government are receiving mere stipends from the State and Local Government authority without any explanation.

He lamented that officers on salary grade level 13 in the State are receiving between N26k to N30k per month.

“There were so many unpaid outstanding salaries to other category of workers.