Wale Ibrahim, Lokoja
The outburst by the embattled Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Elder Simon Achuba that his life is in danger may have finally confirmed earlier speculations that there was a frosty relationship between him and his principal, Governor Yahaya Bello, in the recent times.
Achuba had two weeks ago, sent Save Our Soul, SOS, message to the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Busari, claiming that his life was no longer safe, following the withdrawal of all his security details by the Aide De Camp, ADC, to the governor on the eve of the aborted Presidential and National Assembly elections.
In the recent past, speculations were thriving that things have indeed fallen apart between the numbers one and two personalities in the Confluence State, as the deputy governor was no longer visible at public functions for quite some time.
Checks revealed that the situation was so bad to the extent that he was said to have been locked out of office, while all paraphernalia of the office may have been withdrawn, as he and all his political appointees no longer have access to the office and have been operating from outside in the past few months.
It was gathered that the ‘power that be’ ordered that electricity supply to the deputy governor’s office and official residence be disconnected long time ago.
As if these were not enough, the deputy governor was said to have been forced on over three months vacations, while his salaries and entitlements have not been paid for several months.
Late November last year, there was an impeachment threat and subsequent move by the state House of Assembly to remove the deputy governor, but the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Matthew Kolawole, was said to have been so diplomatic in dousing the tension, claiming that it was rumour and figment of imagination of the enemy of the present administration.
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Reacting to the insinuations that there was plot to impeach the deputy governor, the Director General, Media and Strategy, Kingsley Fanwo in a press statement debunked the rumour. He, however, disclosed that the deputy governor has proceeded on annual leave.
Meanwhile, the rift, it was learnt, was characterised by quietness and long silence in face of persecutions and intimidations both within and outside by the man at the centre of the controversy. He was neither reacting to salient issues nor comfortable with the salvos from right, left and centre until his security details were withdrawn.
However on February 17, Elder Achuba told journalists at his residence that his life was under serious threat, following the withdrawal of his security details, who were detained in Government House on the eve of the postponed Presidential and National Assembly elections for alleged gun running.
Achuba lamented that rather than protect the innocent citizens, the police seem to have abandoned that role only to pursue personal interest.
He explained that he has been under harassment and rejection with the stoppage of his imprest in the last one year and the nonpayment of his travel allowances for over two years.
He said: “At about 10:00am on 15 February, a day to election. My ADC and other aides were called to the Government House for security briefing shortly before my departure to the village.
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“I obliged them to go and come back on time so that we can travel. But when they got to Government House, the ADC handed them over to the officer in charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, where they have been kept incommunicado.
“They were asked to make statements, regarding gun running and since then they have been kept in detention till date. I called the officer in charge of SARS and commissioner of police to intimate them of the development. They all said they will look into the matter, but as I speak to you, they are still kept in custody.
“Police are not under the governor or the deputy governor because the police are an organisation and it is worrisome that till now nothing has been done. I want to use this medium to once again call on the Inspector General of Police to ensure that the right thing is done and that I’m entitled to security aides and to ensure that the security we all need in Kogi State is sustained.
“My life is in danger because I cannot understand why my security aides would be withdrawn on the eve of an election. This is worrisome because security details should not succumb to personal interest.
“We should stand firm on the path of truth and justice, by fearing God and do the will of the people because we don’t need force but to love God rather than using force.”
The deputy governor pointed out that that having informed the IG of his plight, he would hold him accountable if anything happens to him, his family and any of his aides.
But in his reaction, Busari, the state police commissioner, confirmed that he was told of the withdrawal of the aides, noting that it is the responsibility of the ADC to deploy policemen deployed to Government House. He, however, said he had made arrangements for two other mobile policemen to be assigned to work with the deputy governor, pending when the issue would be resolved.
Earlier on 31st of January, at a town hall meeting of the All Progressives Congress, APC, held at Onyedega, headquarters of Ibaji Local Government Area, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, David Edward Onoja, blamed the office of the deputy governor for the failure of the government to deliver its mandate for the people of the area.
The Chief of Staff, who was addressing the crowd at the meeting, told them that they would be surprised by some of his revelations about to be given, concerning their own son, the deputy governor, whom he described as the “enemy within.”
He noted with disappointment that since the inception of the Fourth Republic, the area had continued to give political support to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, without any benefit to show in terms of infrastructural developments or the elevation of any of their sons or daughters to the higher position in the state.
He also recalled his roles in the nomination and the subsequent emergence of Achuba, as the deputy governor, even as he stressed that it took many factors in consideration before backing the Ibaji people to produce the number two position in the state.
Onoja said Kogi East, as a district is under-developed, adding that the three major local government areas in the district that suffer most are Bassa, Ibaji and Olamaboro. Ibaji, he added, is worst amongst the three.
He said that in his deliberate attempt to favour Ibaji, he stood behind Elder Achuba for the deputy governorship position so that he might use the position to influence needed developments to the area and also to address the people’s sense of marginalisation.
The Chief of Staff remarked that there were enemies within the Igala Kingdom, who are causing problem. He disclosed that some people were of the opinion that “the Ibaji people are not real Igala, but Igbo and as such should not be given the number two position.”
He said he regretted supporting the deputy governor, whom he accused of betraying his own people.
Onoja revealed that an investigation is ongoing into the alleged undue interference of the deputy governor in accepting kickbacks from the contractor in charge of the road contract awarded by the government in favour of the area. He urged the people to wait for the outcome of the investigation, which shall be made available to the public.
“At the end the people shall know whether the governor is the problem or their son,” he said.
He also recounted what happened at the onset of the administration when the deputy governor attempted to cause a frosty relationship between the Attah of Igala and the governor. “There is a tape record where the deputy governor told the Attah that he would not gain anything from the government because the latter didn’t support President Muhammadu Buhari,” he said.
While he berated the deputy governor, Onoja urged the people of Ibaji to repose confidence in the administration of Governor Bello, as all hands were on deck to bring the needed infrastructural development to the area.
Political pundits in the Confluence State have argued that the current strife is not good for the ruling party, particularly in an election year. They contended that there should have been better ways to resolve their differences for the overall good of their party, APC.
However, some school of thought believed that the deputy governor ought to have resigned in view of the harassments and intimidations that he has been subjected to.