Gubernatorial candidate of Accord in the 2023 general elections in Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has said that any governor owing salaries of workers has committed crime against humanity.
Adelabu, a former Deputy Governor (Operations) of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) made this declaration during a town hall meeting organised by the Political Commission of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Oyo State chapter, tagged “One on one with Oyo Workers” on Tuesday.
The Accord candidate while addressing the workers, insisted that every worker deserved to be paid salaries for work done.
He explained that it is a crime to owe salary.
He added that salary payment is not an achievement for any governor, because every worker who has worked deserved to be paid at the end of every month.
He spoke further by saying that any governor who owes workers has committed crime against humanity.
Adelabu while speaking further decried the state’s 33rd position in WAEC rating.
He then urged the electorate not to vote for candidates who lacked financial, material and human management skills.
He added that candidates who do not have the required knowledge to rule cannot take the state to greater heights.
He decried the use of salary payment as an achievement by some politicians, saying it was wrong to use such as a selling point.
Adelabu said the workers would enjoy better welfare package under his administration, saying he had enjoyed good working conditions in the past too.
Adelabu said, “Any Governor who owes workers has committed crime against humanity. I will never owe workers because I have never owed any worker.
“I have been a worker earning salary before and I enjoyed good working conditions. I know where the shoe pinches and I know what is best for workers’ welfare. I enjoy regular payment of salary as a worker and I never owed any of my over 3,000 workers salary. Salary payment is not an achievement or selling point.
He then promised to “grant autonomy to local governments in the state, such would allow for widespread development at the grassroots level.
“When I run Oyo State affairs positively, it will affect my businesses positively. If the other way round, then it would wreck my businesses too”.