Am still the deputy governor –Achuba.

Elder Simon Achuba is the impeached deputy governor of Kogi state. In this interview he spoke on the situation and next of action.
What was it like working with governor Bello?
As it should be,it was cordial,as we are going, govt policies and documents were fantastic, things started going wrong when implementation of these policies were not forthcoming, it was becoming very challenging to us as a government and as a party, at that point, I started insisting on the legacies that we can be remembered for, we cannot just be writing  policies and only to abandon them,it amounts to nothing
Did Governor Bello picked you or someone suggested you to him
Everyone knows me as a liberal politician who believes that governorship can come from any part of the state and I as a result, I supported the Ebiras agitation, they saw me as a liberal person who will be able to contain all that and secondly, because of my antecedent in the state as someone who is fair and just, so he invited me and said he will like me to be the deputy governor and I obliged,I will continue to be grateful for that
What role did your party, APC played in resolving the crisis?
Individually, some persons intervened, I think, the National Chairman, but the issue has not been taken holistically.
Is it true that it was Onoja that singlehandedly chose you to be the deputy governor?
Onoja didn’t know me as me that much, he knows me as an Igala man,not as much as people from the Central.
You are in court to challenge your impeachment, are you ready to return to work with governor Bello if the court rules in your favour?
I have been working as the deputy governor, and I am still the deputy governor irrespective of whether there is court judgement or not am the sitting deputy governor and I will continue to be until there is another election and winner sworn in.
What was it like working with governor Bello?
It was not in itself bad,the issue is that he has a lord in person of the former chief of staff,Edward Onoja,he Lords over the Governor, he stays on his neck and the Governor cannot turn, without him,no commissioner can function, no Special Adviser can function, anything you do,he will say no and insists until he has his way and the Governor cannot do anything about it
Has there been instances where you made a suggestion and Onoja didn’t allow it to scale through?
Yes,many times, I have advised the Governor on many occasions and he will agree,but the moment Onoja come in, he will say no, and the Governor will also change.
For instance, there was a time I suggested we pick a few projects complete them and commission them and show forth something as achievement, the Governor agreed but when the chief of staff came in,the story changed, for example on the issue of education, most of the secondary schools in Kogi state are not functional, so let us select maybe one or two per local government area, let have at least one or two functional school in each local government, the Governor agreed, because putting one here,and another one there,does not show much efforts,let us harmonise them to make it more presentable, the Governor agreed, no one brought a better idea than that but because of special interest in favouring some persons with contracts of personal interest of  the chief of staff the story changed.
On the issue of your impeachment, where are we now?
We are in court, we objected to the vacation of our objection to the impeachment notice,we have also filled more grounds if objection and the case will be coming up on 25th
How will you react to the allegation that you were working for the opposition while you were in office to the extent that you lost your ward in the general election?
I never decamped, and i didn’t Iose my ward,what they have been doing is to fly a kite that I  was about to decamp to PDP or any other party, when they saw that it didn’t happen, the issue is that  have  been in this  since 1999,and one has traveled along many road,and along the lines you meet do many people, for instance,this morning, the former speaker of the state house of assembly,Angulu these two people are  in PDP came to see me with Kizito,we have been neighbours all along does it mean one is hobnobbing with PDP, ones relationship with others sometimes goes beyond politics, we are in position  to render service and service is not only meant for APC.
As a member of APC,will you campaign for your party on the coming election
I am not a member of the party’s campaign committee so I will not be out there campaigning but I gave only one vote and I will exercise my voting right .However,I am calling on Mr President to , look at the issue passionately and make sure the right thing is done if this is not done,the future I see about Kogi is bleak if not nipped in the bud.the level of arrogance being displayed in a Democratic setting is amazing and when people start to react,the end result will not be palatable.
Mr President last week asked the Assembly to approve N10 billion refund for Federal road construction in the state,what’s your take on this?
Where are the roads that were constructed  in any part of the state thst were to be refunded? you are  in Kogi here,do you see any road,what then is the refund for?
What is your next move after all these?
I remain and will continue to remain in politics, my future is in the hand of God,He alone will decide my next move.
Do you regret working for Governor Bello in view of what happened?
Nothing like regret, no action  has taken place there was no impeachment, I am still the deputy governor, so nothing to regret about.