LP Guber Candidate Flays Abiodun Over Late Payment Of Workers' May Salary

Kehinde Sogunle

ABEOKUTA - The Ogun State Governorship Candidate of Labour Party (LP), Mr. Kehinde Sogunle has decried late payment of May salary by Ogun state government for the state workers as disappointing and embarrassing.

Sogunle argued that, the state rated as one of the highest generated revenue state should not be battling with payment of its entire workforce.

He decried humongous amount spent by l governor Dapo Abiodun to secure his second term ticket in APC as major factor why many civil servants are yet to receive their May salary payment.

Sogunle who disclosed this on Wednesday in Abeokuta while meeting with leaders of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ogun State chapter fumed that as at June 22nd, some workers are yet to get paid for the month of May.

He, however, attributed leadership, economic, social ignorance and limited vision as variables responsible for retrogressing nature of the state.

"Ignorance in leadership, economic, social ignorance and limited vision are variables responsible for are the problems eliminating the progress of the state. We have gotten people into positions of leadership because we don't elect them base on their efficiency and capability and the standard are falling everyday. That is why at Labour Party we are out to rescue and rebuild.

"We need to build a sustainable political party to make our democracy work. The major problem with governance is lack of continuity. Particularly in Ogun state. LP is rooted in established institutions. We are building a robust database.

"We will not make politics our priority, we will make people our priority. The amount of money spent by the governor to retain his ticket has attendant effect on the worker's salary. Most of the political parties we have are election winning machineries not policy oriented.

"We are a porous state because we can't control our population. We are dependent on national police system that is not bothered. Security needs to be dealt with intelligence."

Sogunle flanked by the NLC Chairman (left) and his deputy governorship candidate

Reacting, the State NLC Chairman, Comrade Emmanuel Bankole said workers in the state are going through harrowing experience in the hands of Gov. Abiodun's administration.

Bankole said the situation has propelled labour movement in the state to seek for new government that is workers friendly with masses oriented policies.

"We know in the event of this nature, we are propelled by our desire to have a government that can work for us, we want a government we can call our own. 

"And for anyone who is patriotic, this call for concern, in our state, the workers in this state are going through harrowing experience. If our salary is not given to us as at when due. Cooperative deduction stands at 21months, most cooperative societies in the state are in comatose, most civil servants rely on this cooperative. 

"It is very important, daily we wake up to hear negative comments and occurrences, and nowhere is safe. 

"That is why we are ready to interrogate anybody coming forward to lead us. It is not going to be business as usual. We will not allow anybody to bamboozle us. We want someone who is prepared, we don't want experimentation again. Majority of them don't know what is ahead of them, no wonder we are where we are today.

"What is the essence of estate building here and there, when the workers are hungry. It is human building capacity that should be paramount to a serious government."