Ahead of November governorship election in Kogi State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Stakeholders Forum in Kogi State, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the national body of the ruling APC not to foist the incumbent Governor, Yahaya Bello, on the people as the party candidate if they plan to win the incoming governorship election in the State.

The group revealed that the Kogi State governor has received a total sum of N344 billion for the past 38 months he has been in charge of the state and still owes salaries, pensions and gratuities without any visible capital projects on ground anywhere in the state.

Describing Bello as a non-performing and violent Governor, the group stated that Bello  has damaged President Buhari’s image and goodwill and that of the party, given his capacity to be so cruel to his fellow citizens in the state.

A copy of the letter sent to THISDAY and signed by Chairman of the forum, Senator Alex Kadiri, stated that attempting to foist the non- performing governor as candidate of the party will be a great national disservice and will lead to the loss of the state to the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming governorship election.

The group lamented that despite the several committees set up to address the excesses of the governor, none of its recommendations were made public or implemented.

“We will like to restate that Governor Bello has traumatised, inflicted poverty and fear on our people. 

“People who dare to raise their voice to complain or protest this mistreatment have been summarily killed or intimidated to the extent that a reign of terror is foisted on the people of the state.

“The APC, of which you are the leader, must have the courage to say NO to Bello’s desire to remain Governor of Kogi State for history will judge all of us for our actions and inactions where and when we had the authority and opportunity to effect a positive change in the affairs of men.

“Citizens of Kogi State, regardless of our party affiliations, are not slaves to Yahaya Bello and will say no to his continuous stay in office for the following reasons: 

Unpaid salaries, pensions and gratuities for Kogi workers, wasting and fraudulent use of funds that have accrued to Kogi State since inception of the APC administration of Yahaya Bello, the creation of insecurity in Kogi State. Our state is awash with guns and other instruments of violence, imported into Kogi State by Bello and his appointees”.

The group further stated that for the past 38 months, including February 2019, Bello had not paid full salaries to the workers of Kogi State, despite the fact that the state received full allocation from federation account as detailed in a report they got from the Federal Ministry of Finance.

The group further argued that even without bailout and other funds received outside statutory allocation, Bello could have still paid all salaries, including pensions without conducting multiple screening and inflicting pains on Kogi State and her inhabitants.