All Progressive Congress Gubernatorial Candidate for the November 21st governorship election in Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu has assured the state civil servants to keep faith with the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the forthcoming election, noting that the incumbent administration in the state lack the will to take adequate care of their welfare.
Prince Audu disclosed this in a chat with the pressmen in Kabba over the weekend at the 70th birthday and 30 years anniversary ceremony of the reign of His Royal Majesty, Oba Michael Olobayo, as the Obaro of Kabba and Chairman of Okun Area Traditional Council.
He said the Wada led administration in the state should explain to Kogite what they use the 20billion naira bond fund and the other billion, billion they have received from the federation account as
statutory allocations accrued to the state in the last three years and nine months.
According to him, despite the huge allocations accrued to the state under this period, the incumbent leadership still decided not to pay salaries and other emoluments as at when due, owing civil servants
salaries up to 20 months. He berated the PDP and their hired agents to stop the spread of rumour
and insinuations that it is the APC in the state that cause the delay in the release of the 50.8 billion naira bailout funds being requested by the state, pointing out that no serous government in the world
would release such funds to an incumbents that is going into an election, stressing that it is a known fact that such money will certainly be misused.
According to him, he also faced such situation in 2003 when all monies accrued to the state from the federal government prior to the election time were not release until after he left office.
“I am even surprise they are still releasing the monthly allocation to them at this time, in my own time in 2003, it was not like that. I faced similar situations in 2003 and their own case can’t be different because what is good for goose is also good for gander” he said He said what have they be doing with the allocations released to the state, that they own civil servants up to 20 months salary arrears, noting that the current administration is only out to impoverish the people of the state by their attitude.
Prince Audu said would the state government take it, if their allocation is being paid in percentage like there are doing to the civil servants, which is expected to take his or her monthly due in full rather they pay it in percentage.
He charged them to come out and explain to Kogites what they have use all money accrued to the state in thirteen years of the PDP led government in the state, noting that his administration only receive little above 16 billion naira in his four year tenure between 1999 and 2003.
He further explained that since Nigeria is a mono economy country, which largely depend on the sale of crude oil and during his time in office a barrel of crude was sold between 9 – 12 dollars, and the state could only get between 200 to 300 million naira as monthly allocations.
He pointed out that almost immediately he left office in 2003, the price of crude oil rose above the roof to 150 dollars per barrel and the state now gets 3 to 5 billion naira as monthly allocations and
15 billion naira from Excess Crude Account.
He lamented that despite these huge allocations accrued to the state, the PDP led government in the last thirteen years in state has nothing to show for it.
Prince Audu urged Kogites and especially the civil servants in the state to keep faith with his team by voting the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the forthcoming governorship election as all salary
arrears would be paid immediately they take oaths of office on the 27th January, 2016.
He eulogized the Obaro of Kabba for his monumental contributions to the peace and tranquility of his domain, the state and country at large, noting that his sterling leadership qualities among the traditional rulers has stand him out in the entire northern region.
According to him, he would love to make such occasion an annual event to gather and celebrate the faithfulness of God in the life of the Obaro, pointing out that the monarch remain a dear friend to him.
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