Kogi's Yahaya Bello owes deputy governor, Achuba, N819.7m

Kogi's Yahaya Bello owes deputy governor, Achuba, N819.7m

Achuba has asked Bello to pay all withheld allowances or risk facing legal action.
   
   
   
       
       
           
               
                   

Achuba has asked Bello to pay all withheld allowances or risk facing legal action.

               
           
               
                   

The Kogi State deputy governor, Simon Achuba, has requested Governor Yahaya Bello to pay the accumulated sum of N819,709,980 owed to his office since 2017.

               
           
               
                   

The sum is the accumulated statutory allocations which include travel allowances, hotel bills, pledges, and outstanding monthly impress and salaries which has been withheld from Achuba's office for the past two years.

               
           
               
                   

This was disclosed in a pre-action notice signed Femi Falana (SAN) of Falana and Falana's Chambers on Achuba's behalf.

               
           
               
                   

In the letter, dated July 17, 2019, Achuba accused Bello of consistently refusing to give approval for the release of funds for the smooth running of his office.

               
           
               
                   

"In particular, the statutory allocations approved for the office of the Deputy Governor have been withheld by the State Government since 2017," the notice read.

               
           
               
                   

                                   

Simon Achuba [Kogi Reports]

               

               
           
               
                   

Achuba said the withheld allocations were legitimately appropriated in the Kogi State Appropriation Laws of 2017, 2018 and 2019.

               
           
               
                   

He said his office has continued to run despite the lack of funds but that he is hampered by it, noting that it has wide ranging implications for the state.

               
           
               
                   

Achuba warned that his request for the withheld allocations be granted within seven days, failure of which would force him to seek redress in the National Industrial Court.

               
           
               
                   

"It is hoped that Your Excellency will not allow our client to resort to litigation in respect of this matter as that may embarrass the Government of Kogi State," the notice read.

               
           
               
                   

Bello is notorious for failure to pay salaries of civil servants in Kogi State, owing several months since he became governor in 2016.

               
           
               
                   

The 44-year-old announced this week that the state has received a N30.8 billion bailout from the Federal Government.

               
           
               
                   

Bello will contest for a second term in the November 16 governorship election.

Source: Kogi's Yahaya Bello owes deputy governor, Achuba, N819.7m

- gist culled from pulseng