The concerned Kogi Youths Association, has called for the resignation of USMAN AHMED ODODO over failure to address welfare, salary and pension in the state.
The spokesperson of the group, Mr Yusuf Musa, made the call in a press statement issued to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.
The statement said, despite the Governor’s initiatives and interventions to rejig Local Government operational system when a rigorous screening exercise was carried out, yet nothing meaningful has been achieved.
According to the statement, the State has enjoyed a thorough transformational leadership commitment courtesy of His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello since he assumed office as the Executive Governor of the state on January 27th, 2016. All sectors has been tremendously transformed and positioned for greater growth.
“With all the above said, the case seems to be different for the Local Government sector despite the Governor’s initiatives and interventions to rejig Local Government operational system when a rigorous screening exercise was carried out by his administration during his first tenure to fish out ghost workers, sanitize the system, and restore normalcy to all Local Government Areas.
“You will then wonder why all these efforts seems to be a waste of time, energy, and resources; as the Local Government sector has not been able to purge completely all it’s irregularities. Why is this so?
“What the people needs to know is a fact that His Excellency has tried his best as regards to stabilizing this area of government, but his efforts are being frustrated by some elements in the system who do not wish the state and her people well but bent on mopping up funds at the local government level and utilizing same funds for their own personal use.
“Glaring is the fraudulent activities of the Auditor General for Local Government, Usman Ahmed Ododo, who is everywhere throwing money around both in local and hard currencies, buying cars of different brands for his timid supporters, all in a bid to get close loyalists of Governor Yahaya Bello to convince the Governor to endorse him as the party’s candidate.
“In his primary assignment as the Auditor General for Local Government, he failed without reservations. What then could be his dependable factor for him to think he could get the APC’s gubernatorial ticket? Definitely his hope is built on nothing but the funds accumulated over time from the local government striving accounts.
“We want Ododo to avail us with records of his audits activities at the local government level. We demand for answers why our parents and relatives are still being paid the sickened percentage salaries/pensions. Ododo should halt his kangaroo ambition and step aside as contender for the Lugard House.
“Ododo has inflicted pains on thousands of households in Kogi State; as many could no longer afford a basic lifestyle or to even fend for themselves and their respective families. Ododo cannot be trusted with power. His is not fit to govern a state as broad as Kogi State.
“We are therefore appealing to His Excellency to call Ododo to order; as governance is known to be a serious business and not a retirement package for looters and inflictor of pains. Ododo should also be stoped, in order for him not to tarnish the good image of the current administration. May Ododo not happen to Kogi State.,” he said.