The group, who met with the acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo today at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said that Kogi State has stopped working since Yahaya Bello assumed office.
Speaking to news men shortly after their meeting with Osinbajo, leader of the team and member of the House of Representatives, James Faleke said that the Governor’s unsavory actions were inimical to the future of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
Faleke, who was a strong contender to the Kogi governorship seat and running mate of the late Prince Abubakar Audu on the platform of the APC, said that the people are dying of hunger as a result of the leadership style of Governor Yahaya Bello.
“We came to the presidency to let federal government know what is happening in Kogi state as regards the fortunes of the party; the way it is dwindling day by day as regards the civil servants; the welfare of the people and their relationship with the state government.
“We have come to let the presidency know so that when elections come and the party losses, no one is to be blamed. We want intervention from the federal government to find a way forward in this situation.
“The governor of the state should recognize those who work for the party and make the party to be successful. It is one thing to be victorious at the court level and another thing to carry the people along. I want to use this opportunity to urge the governor to carry the people along.
“This is the fifth time he is setting up a committee to review staff strength with so many screenings every day. People are dying. You ask people to come from the entire 21 local government to Lokoja to present their documents; some of them are dying on road accident.
“My concern is that if he is too sure, he should set up a better frame rather than this recurrent approach. For all the committees that sent report to him, he has condemned their report and he is the one that set up these committees. Now another committee has been set up again for the same purpose.
“We get calls every day for welfare from civil servants, school children that their parents have not been paid for months. So, we want him to stop this because this is not the only way to stop ghost workers and it shouldn’t be the last. I’m not against eradication of ghost workers but it shouldn’t be done to the detriment of the people.”
Faleke said that the delegation was satisfied with the response of the Acting President during the meeting.
“Of course, we are satisfied. It is a work in progress. It is not a fait accompli.”
This was even as a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Abdullahi Bello Okene said that the delegation has representatives from across the state.
“Yes of course. You can see among the delegation here are former ministers, former ambassadors, former National Assembly members across the state that are critical stakeholders. The leadership is all here cutting across the entire state.” [myad]
