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As Kogi workers and pensioners suffering continue unabated under governor Yahaya Bello, the last and only opportunity they had to end the scorching hardship was the recent released 30 billion Naira bailout fund to the state by the Federal government which was wasted on Gov. Bello desperation for re-election in November.
There are hard facts and proofs abound on how the 30 billion Naira bailout money was spent and shared in the state and Abuja to the detriment of Kogi workers between July to date.
Several investigations revealed that out of the entire money, Kogi workers received less than 20% of the total money as salary leaving LGAs workers with over 32 months as outstanding areas while some state workers 8 to 12 months in total.
And in reality, the 30 billion would have gone a long way in reducing the debt profile owed workers in the state but APC political stalwart latched on the bailout to amend their frosty relationship with Gov. Bello over his incompetence and massive failure.
APC NWC was said to have received 8 billion Naira while Gov. Bello’s legal consultants were said to have received over 2 billion respectively.
The NWC in return gave Gov. Bello open and full supports including bending and breaking some laws for him to secured the second term ticket against the overwhelming opposition within the party.
One of the proofs to this, was the moving of screening venue to the state capital something that is unheard in the history of party democracy in the country where every party including oppositions usually carryout their screening in the nation’s capital.
The most disgusting and shameful of all this, was that Gov. Bello was asked to bring the screening chairman himself and one questionable and corrupt character was eventually procured for the job. He was said to have received 500 million naira from the bailout fund.
APC NWC did not leave anyone in doubt as to whether they have received huge sum of money from Gov. Bello, they, frustrated all other aspirants that purchased the party nomination form and got them disqualified on a flimsy and non existing excuses.
APC corruption was put to public glares when the disqualified aspirants from the screening committee approached the appeal committee, some of the aspirants were cleared and giving the nod to run but the party still went ahead and omitted their names on Gov. Bello’s order apparently, disregarding a lawful committee of the party.
Among other beneficiaries of the bailout fund were selected political leaders, traditional rulers.
Furthermore, various accounts have it that only 6 billion naira was paid to both workers of state and LG workers leaving the rest money for November’s election onslaught against the pauperise workers
At present, there is no crime in the books that Gov. Bello did not commit as governor in Kogi state. He is the most derided governor in the history of the country and probably the only Nigerian governor to have treated workers with much disdain.
Sanusi Ozigi Enesi.
No31 Ademola Tokunbo boulevard, Garki, Abuja.
