The N100 million suit filed by the Chief of Staff to the Kogi State Governor, Edward Onoja, against one of the fiercest critics of administration has been described as a diversionary tactics to hide the government’s failure.
Reacting to the suit against him Comrade Austin Usman Okai, said: “it is already in the public domain that the present administration of Yahaya Bello arrested and detained me for one month last year over flimsy issues that borders on publication”
He said the script being played out by the Kogi COS was calculated to hide the failure of the administration to pay workers and pensioners as well as its failure provide socio-economic infrastructure.
Okai said he remained undaunted and resolute to continue the clamour for good governance, accountability and transparent leadership in the state
Comrade Okai alleged that in the last one year, four different cases were preferred against him on trumped charges of attempting to raze down the Revenue House and public incitement against the government
He said this new script by the state government was premeditated to whittle down and clamp on opposition elements in the midst of bad governance and poor leadership style
Comrade Okai said after all efforts to use the police authorities to intimidate and silence him by eliminating him, the state government through proxy decided to use the instrumentality of the office to perpetrate its dubious acts especially to perceived opponents.
He said there was nothing personal between him and the governors COS, but his opinions about the present administration could not be condoned but been resisted by instituting various court actions
He reassured the present administration in Kogi of the desire of the people for a people oriented administration that is virile, with good perception of the people and the working class.
It would be recalled that the Chief of Staff to Governor filed a lawsuit at the Kogi State High Court demanding N100 million.
In the suit against Okai, who is National Coordinator of Peoples Democratic Party Youth Frontier, Onoja is asking the court to mandate the respondent to pay him the sum of N300 million.
Investigation reveals that there is an existing lawsuit between comrade Austin Okai and Kogi state government pending at the court since April 2017 over the same subject.
In his response, comrade Austin Okai dismissed the latest development as attempt by a drowning man to seek survival.