Kogiflame.com
A meeting was held between the party leadership in the State which was led by the Executive Governor of the State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello and some aggrieved leaders of the party in the State.
It is instructive to note that the meeting was a follow up to the one held yesterday between the Governor and the immediate past State Executive Committee Members which was hugely successful as all parties agreed and resolved to work together in the interest of party cohesion, peace and stability. They also agreed to work towards the re-election of the Governor.
The leader of the few aggrieved elders, Sen. Alex Kadiri led his members into the meeting and the Governor harped on the need for all party leaders and members to unite and work together in the interest of the party.
He said his doors are always open to Elders to be a part of the APC-led government in the State.
However, the leader of the aggrieved group delegation, Sen. Alex Kadiri said he would need to go back to the larger group to brief them.
He also mentioned the reports of some Reconciliatory Committees set up before now. But the Governor said he was not given the reports and therefore couldn’t have known the contents for possible implementation.
The Chief Of Staff to the Governor, Hon Edward Onoja shed more light on the focal areas of the reconciliation efforts by the party then.
He highlighted the three identified groups to be reconciled with the Governor.
He said the first group was the group of the then executives of the party. He said the reconciliation was hugely successful yesterday.
The second category according to him comprised of the then elected officials on the platform of the party. He said most of them are either out of office today or out of the party.
He said the third category was made up of a few elders like Sen. Alex Kadiri. He said the only one of the three groups yet to be properly reconciled is the Kadiri Group.
He urged the elders to embrace peace so that the party can move forward as a united front.
A mild drama ensued when Sen. Alex Kadiri’s group members disagreed with him that no one sent them to the Governor and that all issues should be discussed and resolved right there and then.
But Sen Alex Kadiri stuck to his gun, insisting on reporting to “their followers”.
Sensing the confusion in the Alex Kadiri Camp; the Governor acceded to the demands to contact their followers. The Governor also gave a concise explanation on the salary situation in the State and also gave account of his stewardship to the admiration of the attendees.
He did that in response to a poser by Sen. Alex Kadiri on the salary issue in the state.
Governor Bello explained that he inherited many problems on assumption of office, Chiefs of which are salary arrears, pension fraud, infrastructural gap, disunity, insecurity and a fraud infested civil service.
On security, he said his administration has brought the rate down to the barest minimum. Kidnapping, bank robbery and assassination have been drastically reduced.
It would be recalled that under a PDP Governor from Dekina LGA, a notorious criminal known as Zakari Yau held sway and was untouchable.
He terrorized the people of Dekina and the entire Kogi East with reckless abandon in a Local Government that had a Governor and a Chief Of Naval Staff! It took a young, determined and detribalized GYB to tame the blood sucking criminal.
The Governor repeated the same feat across the State. In three and a half years, only one attempt was made to rob a bank which was foiled by the Eagle- eye and highly equipped men of Operation Total Freedom which was launched by Governor Bello to curb insecurity in the State.
On infrastructure, the Governor said he has done a lot to provide electricity to all parts of the State, including communities of past Governors who hailed from Kogi East.
He also said his Civil Service reform has brought sanity to the hitherto bastardized system.
The Governor also said he has united the people of the state more than any other Governor before him.
He said he sees the state as his constituency and have proven through his policies, programs, projects and appointments that Unity is strength.
This evening, Capt. Idris Wada confirmed most of the positions held by the Governor on the issue. Truth is constant.
Governor Bello told the group that all issues about salaries will be resolved in the next one month. He also gave a commitment to continue to show respect to leaders and members of the party.
The Governor expressed confidence in the capacity of the party to prove its strength and acceptance once again in the 2019 Governorship election, assuring the elders that he will lead the party to another landslide victory. He thanked them for honoring his invitation.
He said having led the party to deliver the Presidential election, 2 Senators out of three, 7 Reps members out of 9 and all the 25 seats in the House of Assembly; he expressed optimism that the party will continue to win elections massively in the state.
It was unanimously resolved that another meeting will be convened soon as suggested by Sen. Jibrin Isah Echocho who hailed the Governor for reviving his political career.
Senator Jibrin Echocho expressed disappointment at the stance of Sen. Alex Kadiri despite the readiness of majority of his group members to reconcile with the Governor.
He said he was aware certain individuals worked against the interest of the party in the past general elections; expressing suspicion that some “party elders” are moles in the party who are secretly working for the opposition.
Kingsly Fanwo
Director General Media and Publicity to Gov. Yahaya Bello.
