Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State is running for reelection on 21 November as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flagbearer.
He told the crowd at a rally yesterday that he was “the first to apply for bailout money” from the federal government in order to pay the salaries of workers.
He went on that the state had received 45bn naira ($225.9m) in bailout money and people should receive their September salaries by “today or tomorrow”.
Wada seemed unaware that what he said were enough reasons for him not to be reelected. Needing a bailout from the federal government in order to meet your salary obligations to state employees is evidence of failure. Not being able to restructure your state to generate enough revenue internally to pay salaries is enough reason not to be reelected.
Any state employee that is still waiting for their September salary in November should not be voting for their governor to return to office.
Wada condemned his own administration with his words. He does not deserve to be returned to office.
His All Progressives Congress (APC) opponent Abubakar Audu capitalised on the failure to pay salaries by promising at his own rally to clear all arrears.
But Audu, who the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) claimed defrauded the state of 11bn naira (about $55m) when he was governor between 1999 and 2003, is not fit to be governor either.
It is looking like it will “heads you lose, tails you lose” for the people of Kogi State on 21 November.
