Kogi Election: Wada Slams Audu Over Bailout Funds

The Kogo state governor, Idris Wada, has in a statement recently said thatthe state government will not compromise its rights even in the face of persecution by the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in the November 21 election, Prince Abubakar Audu.

This was stated by the governor through his chief communications manager, Phrank Shaibu, in relations to the issue of bailout funds which was said to have been used as a form of campaign on the side of the APC governorship candidate.

According to Vanguard report, Governor Wada called on President Muhammed Buhari not to play politics ahead of the Kogi election with the issue of bailout fund earmarked for states.

Wada who is contesting on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party reminded the president that Kogi is yet to get its portion of the bailout several months after fulfilling the necessary documentation.

Crediting a particular statement to Prince Audu and his running mate, Abiodun Falake, at a campaign rally where the duo said they had prevailed on the president to order the stoppage of the release of bailout funds to Kogi state until after the election in November, the governor said that it was not ideal to politicise the issue.

Wada said: “We (government) called on President Buhari as leader for all, not to be swayed by the antics of this desperate politician who is nothing but the author and finisher of the woes of civil servants in Kogi state.

“What kind of desperation will make a man to callously and viciously wage war against the release of resources meant for the people of his state? The Kogi state government is of the firm view that the bailout fund is only a loan and not a presidential benevolence.

The Kogi boss urged the president to as a matter of urgency order the release of the said funds so that the state could meet its obligations to its workers

He stressed that the eyes of the world are on Nigeria as far as the case is concerned.

The governor said: “For one, the President has consistently stressed the role of morality in governance and there can be nothing more immoral than the wilful deprivation of the right of our civil servants whose allowances and emoluments have remained unpaid owing to the economic downturn.”

Meanwhile, ahead of the coming gubernatorial elections both in Kogi and Bayelsa states, the ruling party in the states, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), alleged recently that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), is inciting violence the states.

NAIJ.COM