As Kogi State Governorship Election Tribunal continues in its sitting, the Kogi East Critical Stakeholders, KECS, has urged the Minister of Steel Development, Alhaji Shuaibu Audu in particular and other individuals to refrain from their secret activities already orchestrated to satisfy their selfish and parochial political reasons.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja yesterday, the Chairman of KECS, Alhaji Sule Iyaji, called on the Steel Minister to immediately call off the purported courtesy visit initiated by him to the Presidency in the interest of peace and harmony.
The group cautioned the Minister to not allow himself to be used by the former Governor Yahaya Bello and Governor Usman Ododo to fraudulently achieve their political goal in Kogi state.
The Chairman of the group, who was the former Deputy Governor of old Benue State, warned the Minister to desist from dragging the elders and traditional rulers in the state into the ‘murky waters of politics’ adding that the group will never succumb to such evil and anti-democratic actions.
Alhaji Iyaji called on elders and traditional rulers being contacted to embark on the ill-fated courtesy visits to shun all entreaties from Shuaibu Audu and remain focused on providing leadership to the teeming people in the areas of influence.
He said instead of the Minister to face squarely the burdensome task of revitalizing the Steel industry, he is pursuing innuendos and running errands for the former Governor Bello and Governor Usman Ododo.
The KECS Chairman noted that they are aware of the discomfort in Bello/Ododo camps since the flawless evidences of massive vote riggings revealed by the display of BVAS at the ongoing trial at the Kogi state governorship election tribunal and the panic reactions.
“The kernel of the planned fraudulent courtesy visit to President Tinubu, with the Honourable Minister of steel Development, being a pawn in the hands of Bello and Ododo, is to assemble our elders and Traditional rulers to go and plead with Mr. President to thwart and torpedo the judicial process in favour of Ododo,” he said.
According to the group, “The fraudsters have been intimidating court witnesses and bragging about their connections that would make the tribunal processes of no consequence, as according to them, the decision over the election will not be determined at the Tribunal.
“The stakeholders observed the futility of their moves in deference to Mr. President, who has been a leading vanguard of democracy and a tested veteran of democratic struggles, long before he was elected as the President, will never succumb to such evil and anti-democratic actions.
“The stakeholders further observed that they are aware that the guise, under which the Honourable Minister is mobilizing the ill- willed visit to Mr. President, is to thank him for his appointment, and to canvas for his intervention in the infrastructure gaps in Kogi East. The real reason is to use the visit to plead for Ododo, who has failed woefully to defend the mandate he stole from Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, the SDP candidate in court.
“The critical stakeholders noted that the people of Kogi East expressed their collective wishes in the election of Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka in the November election. Hence any representation of the people of Kogi East to any quarter without Alhaji Muritala Ajaka or his appointed representatives, is null and void and of no effect.
“The Stakeholders further noted the unwarranted attacks on SDP witnesses at the ongoing Governorship election tribunal wherein the properties of the witnesses in Okene have been burnt to arches by thugs loyal to Former Governor Bello and Governor Usman Ododo.
“This appalling brigand had continued unabated thus aiming to truncate the petition of the SDP candidate at the tribunal. That the Federal government should intervene and stop this witness harassment being tele-guided by Bello and Ododo to subvert the cause of justice.”
Also, the group called decried the slow space in bringing former Governor Bello to justice by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, saying that since Bello handed over to Ododo, he and his wives had holed up in Kogi Government House, Lokoja and superintending over the affairs of the State as though he was on his third term.
They called on the EFCC to urgently bring him and his wife to justice and free Kogi from his antics.
To this, the Kogi East Critical Stakeholders in a communique to review general issues concerning the region and Kogi State responded to series of raging issues that were capable of causing disquiet among indigenes of Kogi East saying that, “The meeting noted that, Kogi East indigenes are peace loving people that wish to live in harmony with every segments of Kogi State.
“However, it observed that, recent activities of some people in authority today, if not checked, could result in unimaginable upheavals and destruction of the fragile unity being enjoyed today. The Stakeholders noted in particular the clandestine activities of the Honorable Minister of Steel Development, Alhaji Shuaibu Audu and other individuals, who, for their selfish and parochial political reasons are bent on dragging our revered elders and Traditional rulers into the murky waters of politics.
The stakeholders observed that the Honorable Minister of Steel Developments in a desperate bid to please his godfather, former Governor Yahaya Bello, is not willing to give democracy a chance since his humiliating defeat and rejection of his Principal, Alhaji Usman Ododo, by the good people of Kogi East and entire Kogi state, during the last Nov 11, 2023, Governorship election in the State.
“His abrasive gatherings of Elders and traditional rulers, using the instrumentality of the State, to force them on a “courtesy visit” to the President, is a recipe for chaos and disharmony in our land. The stakeholders further noted that the timing of this “Forced courtesy visit” is highly suspicious and laden with fraud. The stakeholders noted that they are aware of the discomfort in Bello/ Ododo camps since the unimpeachable evidences of massive vote riggings as being revealed by the display of BVAS at the ongoing trial at the Kogi State Governorship Election Tribunal and the panic reactions from the fraudsters.
“Hence, the kernel of the planned fraudulent courtesy visit to Mr. President, with the Honourable Minister of steel Development, being a pawn in the hands of Bello and Ododo, is to assemble our elders and Traditional rulers to go and plead with Mr. President to thwart and torpedo the judicial process in favour of Ododo. The fraudsters have been intimidating court witnesses and bragging about their connections that would make the tribunal processes of no consequence, as according to them, the decision over the election will not be determined at the Tribunal.
“The stakeholders observed the futility of their moves in deference to Mr. President, who has been a leading vanguard of democracy and a tested veteran of democratic struggles, long before he was elected as the President, will never succumb to such evil and anti-democratic actions.
“The stakeholders further observed that they are aware that the guise under which the Honourable Minister is mobilizing the ill- willed visit to Mr. President, is to thank him for his appointment, and to canvas for his intervention in the infrastructure gaps in Kogi East. The real reason is to use the visit to plead for Ododo, who has failed woefully to defend the mandate he stole from Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, the SDP candidate in court.
“The critical stakeholders noted that the people of Kogi east expressed their collective wishes in the election of Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka in the November election.
“Hence any representation of the people of Kogi East to any quarter without Alhaji Muri Ajaka or his appointed representatives, is null and void and of no effect.
The Stakeholders further noted the unwarranted attacks on SDP witnesses at the ongoing Governorship election tribunal wherein the properties of the witnesses in Okene have been burnt to arches by thugs loyal to Former Governor Bello and Governor Usman Ododo. This appalling brigand had continued unabated thus aiming to truncate the petition of the SDP candidate at the tribunal. That the Federal government should intervene and stop this witness harassment being tele-guided by Bello and Ododo to subvert the cause of justice.
“The stake holders decry the slow space in bringing former Governor Bello to justice by the EFCC. That since Bello handed over to Ododo, he and his wives had holed up in Kogi Government House, Lokoja and superintending over the affairs of the state as though he is on his third term. Stakeholders call on the EFCC to urgently bring him and his wife to justice and free Kogi from his antics.
“The Stakeholders noted with dissatisfaction the action of the Inspector general of Police in investigating and punishing the commissioner of Police in Kogi State (CP Bethrand Onuoha) since all his atrocities, before, during and after the gubernatorial election in Kogi State. The commissioner of police in Kogi State had done more havoc than a terrorist; yet the Inspector General of Police has kept him in Kogi State to continue to aid and abet criminalities. He has aided the Former Alhaji Yahaya Bello in killing his own police and other Kogites for reasons we cannot phantom.
“In view of the foregoings and the need for peace and harmony in our land and the need to allow the independence of the Judiciary to adjudicate on the petition of electoral fraud committed during the last Governorship election held on November 11, 2023 in Kogi state, the critical stakeholders resolved as follows: That the purported Courtesy visit being initiated by the Honorable Minister of steel development, to the Presidency, be called off immediately in the interest of peace and harmony.
“That the Honorable Minister of steel Development should refrain from dragging our revered Elders and traditional rulers into the murky waters of Politics
“That the honorable minister of Steel Development should note that he was in the cabinet when the 2024 budget was being planned and put together, hence if he was aware of the infrastructural gaps in Kogi east, he would have made the case for inclusive development of our infrastructure then, rather than “put out his buckets when the rain is over”. The budget is already passed and being implemented.
“That the Honorable Minister should refrain from being used to undermine our collective mandate freely given to Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka and stop being a spoiler at all cost or else, he should be prepared for the consequences of his actions.
“That it is regrettable that the Honorable Minister for steel development has abandoned the onerous task of revitalizing our steel industry to pursue innuendos and running errands for treasury looters and vote thieves in the person of Former Governor Bello and the usurper, Usman Ododo.
“That all leaders, elders and traditional rulers being contacted to embark on the ill-fated “courtesy visits” should shun all entreaties from the Honorable Minister of steel development and remain focused on providing leadership to our teaming people in their areas of influence. They should realize that their various experiences are not for sale, and they should not allow lesser mortals manipulate them into ’embarking on naked dancing in the market Square to the drumbeats of the drunk gods.
“That the Kogi East critical stakeholders have faith in our judiciary and the ongoing Kogi state governorship election tribunal to right the wrongs in our electoral systems.
“That the Honorable Minister of steel development, being former Director General of Ododo campaign organization, has not gotten over the resounding defeat he suffered in the entire Kogi East and Kogi state as a whole, is bent on subverting justice by his abrasive recruitment of our elders and traditional rulers to arm twists the president to torpedo the judicial process.
“That merely holding a ministerial position in the government does not confer any political leadership of Kogi East on Shuaibu Audu, and he should not parade himself as leader of the people of Kogi East where he did not have sufficient influence to mobilize victory for his party even in his polling unit at the last election. Any representation to Mr. President by any group without Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka who has a demonstrated overwhelming support and followership of the people of Kogi East is a fraud and of no effect.
“That the Presidency should please note that the people of Kogi East will never allow electoral fraud enablers to represent her in any courtesy visit to Mr. President, and that, at the appropriate time, the people’s authentic leaders, including Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka will lead the representatives of our people to thank Mr. President for all he is doing to reposition the country economically.
“That all those being arranged by the Honorable Minister of steel development to embark on the courtesy visit to the presidency , should recuse themselves in their own interest or be prepared to face the wrath of the people.
“That the Honourable minister should know that he has done enough damage to the people of Kogi east since his surprised appointment as Honorable minister and should refrain from further damaging our collective resolve to reclaim our stolen mandate, failing which, the people will vehemently resist him this time around. That despite his antecedents, we wish him well in his assignment.
“That our traditional rulers should note that as custodians of our ancient and time tested traditions, that dates back to the 13th century, they do not derive their legitimacy from anybody but from God in Heaven and the people whom they rule over. That they know more than anyone else the consequences of not being with their people at all times and or taking anti people’s order from desperate politicians and pretenders.
“That the youths and the general public are advised to be law abiding and shun all acts of violence in the face of this provocation but to remain on guards to ensure that our people are not unnecessarily harassed and or intimidated by desperate politicians to do their biddings.
“That the Federal Government should intervene in the looming crisis in Okene LGA where properties of SDP witnesses are being set ablaze by Thugs loyal to former Governor Yahaya Bello and Governor Ododo. This witness harassment is injurious to the ongoing trial at Kogi election petition Tribunal and capable of subverting the cause of justice. However, our love and prayers are with the victims. They should be rest assured that all that they have lost, shall be replaced as soon as we take over the governance of the state.
“That the EFCC should live up to their Billings by urgently bringing former Governor Bello and other Kogi treasury looters to justice and free Kogi from his antics. That Former Governor and his wife that had been declared wanted by the agency, are holed up in Kogi Government house interfering in the day to day running of the administration of Governor Ododo as though he is on his third term.
“That Governor Ododo should relocate back to Government house, Lokoja and take over the affairs of the state. That his continuous stay in Abuja since he took over the affair of the state amount to abdication of responsibilities. That we are aware of all his activities at Abuja where he is using the state funds to cajole people to buy justice for himself and Yahaya Bello.
“That we stand solidly on the mandate freely given to Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka during the last November 11, 2023 governorship election and support his quest to reclaim his stolen mandate through the constitutional legal means.
“That we do not see anything wrong in a courtesy visit, but we have every reason to resist the courtesy visit because of the wrong motives behind the visit.
“We call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to impress on the Inspector General of Police to stand up to his responsibilities by investigating, arresting and prosecuting Police Officers who deliberately abused the rules of the police and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Mr. Bethrand Onuoha is not immuned from trial. He can not continue to wear police uniform and be terrorizing the people of Kogi State instead of saving lives and properties.
We therefore, once again request for his trial and transfer from Kogi State.”
