I’ve not received allowances for two years, God has been sustaining me – Kogi Deputy Governor, Simon Achuba

Simon Achuba, Kogi State’s Deputy Governor while speaking to newsmen after his meeting with Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, revealed that he has not received allowances for two years.

Admitting that his meeting with Kyari was on resolving the issue of his statutory allowances which Governor Yahaya Bello stopped paying, the Kogi State Deputy Governor stated that God has been the one sustaining him.  According to him, he is being owed N819, 709 980 in accumulated statutory allocations, which include travel allowances, hotel bills, pledges, and outstanding monthly impress and salaries.

Mr Simon, however, refused to comment on the outcome of his meeting with the Chief of Staff.

“Well it is a private discussion in relation to my office. From my discussions with him there is hope that all the issues will be resolved” he said.

On how he has been coping with his withdrawn allowances, he said;

“Well you know in life what sustains a man is God. So if your hope is in God, you will be very much alive. If you have money and don’t have God, you will be living like a dead person.

“But if you have God you can live, He is the one who provides to man. So if one source closes, God opens another source for you to live. Supposing I am not a Deputy Governor, won’t I be alive?”

On why his allowances were stopped, The Nation reported that he said that the only excuse Governor Yahaya Bello gave him was that there was no money.

“For now it is not very smooth, it is not what it is supposed to be and it is not supposed to be like that” he said.

He also talked about supporting Governor Bello in the forthcoming governorship election in the state. Simon said:

“When the time comes. There are issues to be put on table for discussion and these are the issues why I am here. When those issues are settled you will see us flying again, politics is like that.”