Unpaid salaries: UPN guber candidate advises Buhari to sanction defaulting governors

A stalwart of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Mr Rotimi Paseda, on Tuesday advised President Muhammadu Buhari to visit appropriate sanctions on governors who defaulted in paying their staff salaries.
Paseda, UPN governorship candidate in Ogun State in the April 11 general elections, made the call in Abuja.
Paseda also called on the Federal Government and appropriate authorities to investigate the issue.
“I believe the President should get involved because most of the allocation that comes from federal government is partly for staffing.
“If a particular state owed workers, the governor should be brought to book as to account for what he has been spending the money for.
“Of course, state governments were given money to run the state, so why have they not being paying workers.
“If they have been found wanting in diverting the state allocation, proper sanction should be put in place,’’ Paseda urged.
He advised the workers who were been owned to also stage peaceful protests as well as disassociate themselves from the leadership that sell them out.
“In Ghana you cannot refuse to pay workers, you will see what is going to happen, but we do it here in Nigeria with impunity,’’ said the prince.
Paseda, who expressed his confidence in Buhari’s capability to turn around the country, advised him to ignore all sycophants that may surround his administration.
“As to whether he does it or does it at the right time is different but he is capable of doing it. Personally, I belief Buhari can turn Nigerian around.
“If I am Buhari, with his age, exposure, experience, I will turn Nigeria around because I am not looking after anything but a good name and good legacy; Good names like Nancy Mandela, late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and others.’’
Paseda, however, urged political and elected leaders in the country to “preach and practice what is right’’ as well put the people first.
He also urged them to avoid self glorification and seek good names rather than looking riches through illegal means.
“There are some names that mean nothing. As soon as they die, people forget them. Nobody talks about them.
“Our political leaders should be looking at a name that live long after them. That would be the basis of whatever they do.’’
Paseda, also expressed his optimism that UPN would improve on its performance in the next general elections following the election of the party’s new National Chairman, Prof. Bankole Okuwa.
He noted that since the emergence of the new chairman, some big wigs who had left UPN had indicated their interest to return.