…Stop Running Errands For Ex- Gov. Bello and Ododo
By Joseph Edegbo
Kogi East Critical Stakeholders (KECS) has told the Minister of Steel Development, Alhaji Shuaibu Audu in particular and other individuals to refrain from what is being referred to as secret activities already orchestrated to satisfy their selfish and parochial political reasons.
The group cautioned the Minister that he should not allow himself to be used by former Governor Yahaya Bello and Governor Usman Ododo to fraudulently achieve their political goal in Kogi state.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, 2 April, 2024, the Chairman of KECS, Alhaji Sule Iyaji, called on the Minister of Steel Development to immediately call off the purported courtesy visit initiated by him to the Presidency in the interest of peace and harmony.
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.”
