From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
The embattled Deputy Governor of Kogi state, Elder Simon Achuba has raised the alarm over alleged mobilization of gunmen by his boss, Alhaji Yahaya Bello to attack him with an appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari and Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu to come to his rescue.
The Deputy Governor cried out over the ugly development at a press briefing held at his residence in Lokoja, the state capital on Thursday.
Achuba told journalists that information at his disposal revealed that Governor Yahaya Bello has mobilized gunmen to attack him over his perceived lingering anger on him.
According Achuba “Bello should be held responsible if any thing happens to my life. Iam appealing to President Buhari and the Inspector-General of Police to beam their searchlight on Kogi state as a result of Governor Bello’s alleged gunmen activities in the state”
He also stressed that “You cannot be a governor of the people and killer of the people as Bello is exhibiting”.
On the claim of the Kogi state government that he has been paid all his entitlements to date, Achuba debunked the claim describing it as false and threatened Court Action to get his two years unpaid salaries and allowances settled without further delay.
” As a deputy governor, I have staff whose salaries come under my office including mine and other allowances and imprest to run the office which since 2017, the governor refused to pay. The issue of salaries is critical and not about me as labourers deserves their wages ” Achuba affirmed
“My monthly salary for instance as a deputy governor is N385,000. How can I run my office with this kind of pay without imprest in the last two years?” He asked.
The deputy governor admonished his boss to always see himself as servant of his people and not master by being humanitarian in all his actions and inactions in the administration of the state.
He explained that his continued rift with his boss has nothing to do with none performance on his part as been alleged but because of his disenchantment on the bad governance of the state by Bello which has inflicted endless untold hardship on the people of the state.
However, Achuba appreciated his boss for making him his deputy which eventually gave him the opportunity to contribute his quota towards the development of the state notwithstanding the terror he is passing through him in the last two years.
This alarm by Achuba is coming on the heels of the denial by Media Aide to Bello, Kingsley Fanwo, that the Deputy Governor was being owed any money by the government.
Speaking on the issue, Fanwo said in a statement that the deputy governor has been paid “till date”
Fanwo however hinted at an element of truth in Achuba’s allegation that the amount of N819 million was still outstanding when he said that N786 million has “not been approved let alone processed for payment by the government”.
He said: “The Kogi state government hereby states that the salaries of the deputy governor have been paid up to the same date as that of the governor and other political office holders in Kogi state.”
“It is our belief that the claim for salaries at paragraph 4 of the letter of demand was done to generate sensational headlines in the news as there is no stated salary arrears in the prepared breakdown of claimed entitlements attached to the letter of demand.
“The deputy governor is aware that by virtue of extant financial regulations, even where expenditures are provided for in the budget, they are still subject to approvals based on an estimation that funds to defray will be available.
“Also included are claims for unauthorised trips of the deputy governor and his wife and other expenses which may or may not be approved, yet the deputy governor has claimed them as due for payment.”
Fanwo said though Achuba is entitled to imprest, such monies are only paid when funds are available.
“We are certain that the deputy governor’s claims are frivolous, bogus and borne out of mischief and an attempt to embarrass the Kogi state government where he currently serves and draws immense benefits; we reiterate our readiness should he be ready to proceed to court to meet him in court for the ventilation of his alleged grievances,” he said.
