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| Melaye, Onaiyekan And Bello |
Mutual hostility between Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state and Senator Dino Melaye is drawing the State backward, revered clergyman John Cardinal Onaiyekan has said.
The Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop of Abuja says he is concerned about the feud between both political gladiators, saying he would intervene in the tussle.
Melaye, a senator representing Kogi West, had accused the governor of mismanaging the State’s resources, while calling him "clueless”over his (Bello) failure to pay workers’ salary.
Some workers in the North Central State are reportedly being owed up to 15 months salaries. But the state government had since denied the allegation.
Melaye also accused governor Bello of masterminding his ongoing recall from the Senate and also alleged, at different times, assassination attempts on his life by the governor.
But Onaiyekan, who is an indigene of Kogi, told Daily Sun that “I have not seen any of them. They have not brought their case to my court. "The only plan I have in mind is to talk to Dino Melaye, who represents me in the Senate. But we have not had time to meet".
Asked if he would also talk to the governor, Onaiyekan said:“I was thinking about it too. I was asking my colleague, the bishop of Lokoja who is sharing fence with the governor whether he has visited him.
"But apparently, the attitude of the governor did not seem as if he would welcome any intervention from somebody like the bishop of Lokoja. That is what I am getting from him. “And it doesn’t seem as if the Anglican Bishop of Lokoja is having any impact on the situation.
"Obviously, the quarrel between Melaye and the governor is not helping the state. We wish we could have a window of opportunity to intervene for the sake of the state because the poor people are suffering.”
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Politics