President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday approved the release of N30.8bn to Kogi State to clear salary arrears, as he met behind closed doors with traditional rulers from the State, led by the Attah of Igala land, Michael A. Oboni.
Speaking on behalf of the Kogi Council of Traditional rulers, Solomon Owoniyin, the Obaro of Kabba, Chairman of the Okun Council of Obas, declared that the team presented three requests, including an upgrade in the status of the Minister representing the state, as well as presentation of Yahaya Bello for endorsement as the state Governor for a second term
The traditional rulers announced that the President approved the last tranche of the bailout funds to clear salary arrears in the state.
“We are happy to announce too because our governor announced it here, that the last tranche of bailout fund of about N30.8 billion has been approved. So the issue of salary arrears, allowances and pensions will be put to rest by His grace before the elections,” Owoniyin said.
“So we are confident that, this federal government, we are going to have a good deal with it and by the grace of God since we are supporting Mr President, it is natural and normal for him to pay us back in the right coins,” he added.
Traditional rulers said they were at the Presidential Villa to congratulate President Buhari as well as reconfirm their endorsement of Yahaya Bello for a second term in office
“Some people in the social media say we are playing politics. We are being realistic. Our people at home had already endorsed Yahaya Bello, ours is to reconfirm that endorsement,” Owoniyin said.
He said the State’s status in the Federal Executive Council had to change. “We need the position of a full Minister, including giving us the position of Minister of Finance and not Minister of State,” Owoniyin declared.
“So we are happy to announce to our people at home that Mr President has promised to treat us very well. Like the chairman of our traditional council said, we are not comfortable with minister of state, so our status in the federal cabinet must be upgraded to a full-fledged minister and by the grace of God Minister of finance.”
Owoniyin said the delegation was at the State House to pray for the president because his second term, according to hi, “is very critical in the chequered history of Nigeria,” noting that the team wished the president success in all his aspirations.
He added that they were also at the seat of power to upgrade what the president called their shopping list.
He disclosed that the group was at the Presidential Villa to reintroduce Governor Bello to the President and demanded for normal support since they belong to the same party. According to the spokesman, “the issue of endorsement is here; the people at home have already endorsed Yahaya Bello for second term. So we don’t need to re-endorse him in Abuja here. All we needed to do was to represent him to the President and Commander in Chief of the armed forces of Nigeria.”
The group expressed satisfaction with the reception accorded it by the president, and declared that the traditional rulers had reconfirmed their support for both the federal and state governments.
Governor of Kogi, Yahaya Bello, in his remarks, said the leader of the delegation was the Attah Igala, His Royal Majesty, Michael Idakwo Ameh Oboni, the President of Kogi State Council of Chiefs.
He described himself as “just a messenger who took the message to Mr President to secure this appointment and as their son I just needed to accompany them on this visit.