By Richard Elesho/ Lokoja
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, of plotting to recall its elected lawmakers. The party called on the Governor to perish the plot and to call off his aides from further harassment and intimidation of its members.
Citing the attacks on senator Ogembe of Kogi Central, Hon. Friday Makama (Igalamela-Odolu), the lies on PDP past governors as reason for not been able to pay salaries coupled with the latest tirade on member representing Yagba federal constituency, Sunday Karimi, the party urged the Governor to promote healthy politics in the state.
In a statement by Mr. Achadu Dickson, its Director Research and Documentation, the party spoke on the backdrop of the governors DG, Media and publicity, Mr. Kingley Fanwo’s attack on Sunday Karimi labeling him a ‘failure’ who only go to the National Assembly to attack Governor Bello and President Muhammodu Buhari.
Achadu in the statement described the government sponsored attacks on PDP elected personalities suddenly after its failed recall scheme against senator Dino Melaye as a discredited propaganda machinery. The statement reads in part:
“The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Kogi State chapter, takes exception to Fanwo’s indiscretions and gross violations of the rules of engagements in a democratic setup. It is rather uncharitable, if not disastrous for a spokesperson whose stock in trade is bare faced falsehood, to turn around and accuse an innocent soul like Hon. Karimi of suffering the same malady. This is worse than a kettle calling the pot black. Be that as it may, we wish to clarify as follows:
“Fanwo’s attack on the PDP and Hon. Karimi are unprovoked. Ever since his first tenure in the National Assembly, Hon. Karimi has never been found wanting in the discharge of his duties and responsibilities. The legacies of his stewardship are visible in his constituency. They include water packaging systems/boreholes, solar powered electricity schemes, roads, schools, various empowerment schemes, sponsoring of bills and other epithets of quality legislative representation to numerous to mention here. In fact, Hon Karimi has established two functional solar powered boreholes and carried various empowerment schemes in Takete-Ide Amuro,, Fanwo’s village.
“It was basically due to the success recorded in his first tenure that prompted his constituents to give him their mandate for a second term. Certainly, if any administration is ‘a disastrous and monstrous failure’, it must be the one that imposed wailing and gnashing of the teeth on the dehumanized and pauperized workers in Kogi State, whose salaries have not been paid for upwards of 3-28 months.
“Fanwo seems engrossed with a fantasy aimed at altering history before our very eyes. Yes, due to paucity of funds occasioned primarily by refusal of the Federal Government to release the bail out funds to it, the last PDP administration could not pay salaries for few months It is also on record that the administration left the December 2015 and January 2016 allocations intact for its successor to manage. It is therefore mischievous, blasphemous, callous, and misleading for the Yahaya administration to turn round and accuse its predecessor of owing salaries, when technically speaking the funds for the payments were reserved for it.
“Fanwo’s attempt to tarnish Hon. Karimi with the brush of corruption and infamy are lame. We believe the appropriate organs of Atlantic Energy and the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, are capable of the right responses to this tirade. We however want to emphasize that Hon. Karimi is a hardworking and prudent public servant whose name has never been mentioned in shady circles. Fanwo’s invention stand truth on its head and can therefore not stand.
“Hon. Karimi is a leader of substance and conscience. He has continuously called attention to the deplorable state of affairs and non payment of workers salaries in Kogi State. He hopes to remain on the side of truth, as always. If Fanwo’s vituperations were designed to distract him from this path of truth, then he will in the fullness of time, come out most miserable from his vain venture. Hon. Karimi is too focused to be distracted.
“Fanwo may have coined his accusations arising from fears in the ruling party about the rising political profile of Hon. Karimi, who remains the candidate to beat in next year’s Kogi West Senatorial District election. The good people of Kogi West should see Fanwo’s outbursts as songs of lamentation from a sinking government. We are not unaware of plans by the same forces that wanted Senator Dino Melaye out of the Senate, to administer the same political poison on other NASS members from Kpgi West. Let it be known that neither Karimi nor any of our members can be threatened with the ill fated stick. The good people of Yagba Federal Constituency, especially the youths should therefore ignore the Satanic plots of Fanwo and his cohorts.
“As for the restless foot soldier, we advise him to go back to the drawing board and learn the basic rudiments of image making. Without doubts, his infantile style has inadvertently manufactured more enemies for his boss instead of increasing his circle of well wishers. A word, they say is enough for the wise.”