Kogi State Government has lambasted former Director-General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Salihu Moh. Lukman, over his outbursts against Governor Yahya Bello and the Governor Mai Mala Buni, APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).
Lukman had accused the party leadership of extorting aspirants ahead of the March 26 national convention and also asked that Bello be prevented from getting the presidential ticket of the party. The former PGF DG also alleged that Bello had yet to commence payment of N30,000 minimum wage as announced and that workers were earning 25 per cent of their salaries.
Reacting in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, the state government said Lukman’s allegations were baseless, adding that he should not “allow the frustration of his unceremonious and embarrassing exit as the Director-General of PGF take possession of his reasoning to the extent of disparaging party leaders.”
Similarly, chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Kogi State, Onu Edoka, confirmed that the state government has embarked on the payment of N30,000 minimum wage to workers in the state, saying Governor Yahaya Bello administration has not been owing salaries or paying 25 per cent of salaries, contrary to Lukman and other naysayers’ claims. Edoka, in an interview with the media said the minimum wage was only approved for the state’s civil servants on level 1 to 6, adding that “it is not true that workers earn 25 per cent of their salaries.”
Fanwo, in his statement, said: “It is unfortunate that Lukman could allow the frustration of his unceremonious and embarrassing exit as the Director-General of PGF take possession of his reasoning to the extent of accusing His Excellency, Mai Mala Buni’s APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of extorting aspirants ahead of the March 26 National Convention. It’s more saddening that Lukman decided to expose his main fear when he unwittingly revealed that the candidate to beat in the 2023 APC primary was my principal, His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. To the amateur politician, the unfounded allegations against the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello should sway the minds of Nigerians or party leaders.
“But asking the party to prevent Yahaya Bello, a leading presidential hopeful, from getting the party’s ticket, already stamps the fact that all eyes are on him to take the party to victory in the 2023 General elections, which everyone knows will be keenly contested. For the records, Lukman’s anti-party escapades while at the secretariat of the Progressive Governors’ Forum did not only cost him his job, but also cast more ridicule on his already battered image. We are, therefore, not surprised at his recent disgraceful outburst against key party leaders. He has proved himself to be a mole in APC with a mission to undermine it and ultimately hand advantage to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023.
“We, however, want to assure him that no one has the monopoly of caustic statements. Governor Yahaya Bello has only refrained from dignifying detractors with response, venom for venom, because of his sound upbringing. But if Lukman should allow frustration to take a total grip of his senses, then, he should be ready to face the consequences of his actions as we will not leave any stone unturned to seek redress legally. We will not watch him continue to rubbish the image of our dear party in the manner he has been doing.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Governor Yahaya Bello remains a key figure holding the party together and he has the support and endorsement of overwhelming majority of party faithful to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari. Lukman should wake up to the fact that his campaign of calumny will not wane the love APC and Nigerians have for Governor Bello.”