By Safiyat Muhammed | Nigeria News Today
LOKOJA — The Publicity Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Kogi State, Isaiah Ijele, has accused Governor Usman Ododo of committing a moral and political “sin” by allegedly refusing to pay workers their wages.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Wednesday, Ijele said the payment of salaries should not be considered an achievement but a basic obligation of any government.
“Even the holy books say labourers are worthy of their wages, and it’s a sin to withhold the wages of labourers. It’s not an achievement but a compulsory commitment on the side of the government,” Ijele stated.
‘Ododo Is Following Yahaya Bello’s Footsteps’
The SDP spokesperson alleged that Ododo is working in close alignment with his political godfather, former governor Yahaya Bello, to mismanage the state’s resources.
“During the election, we saw him campaigning alongside former governor GYB. He never granted any interview. What is an achievement in paying salaries? We are talking about infrastructural development and insecurity,” he said.
Security Challenges in Kogi State
Ijele also criticized the state government’s handling of security, alleging that certain roads, particularly routes to the East, have become unsafe due to persistent kidnapping incidents.
“Most vehicles can’t even ply that road to the East as we are talking because of kidnapping,” he claimed.
SDP’s Role as Opposition
According to Ijele, the SDP has maintained a fair approach as the state’s opposition party.
“When they perform, we applaud them, and when they don’t perform, we speak to their face and say, ‘Man, you are not doing well.’ Ododo doesn’t have a manifesto, so he can’t even tell us what he has done with the billions flowing into the state,” he added.
