The project for the recalibration and restoration of Kogi State was the movement to set aside whatever was the political structure the 3rd term non executive governor of Kogi State was orchestrating to keep himself in the office, for future personal national political contests.
People of goodwill across the State irrespective of ethnic nationality trooped out to be counted in the struggle to breath fresh air in Kogi State.
There was no part of the State that didn’t have votes for the two prominent candidates. In Kogi East, Yahaya Bello’s supporters gave him the votes they could muster. SDP also got some in Kogi Central. It was the agitation to vote SDP in Kogi Central that really exposed the pre-filling of the original INEC result sheets in the area. Yahaya Bello should therefore stop presenting the attempt of Kogi people to breath fresh air as a battle between two ethnic nationalities in the State.
It was a matter of choice and convenience across the State. Overwhelmingly the people of Kogi State have decided for recalibration and restoration, irrespective of the pre-filling of original INEC result sheets. The matter is now in the courts for adjudication and Yahaya Bello should stop parading himself as the only one who has the power of violence, because it demeans him by the day, and brings opprobrium his way. The acts of violence reduces his clout as a national figure.
The Nigerian public has followed all the failed attempts of Yahaya Bello to prevent, stall or truncate the different stages of the process up to the current effort at the tribunal that has to sit in Abuja for security reasons.
The eight year government of Yahaya Bello is known across Nigeria to have been characterised by violence, suppression and stifling of dissent.
To create a make belief, Yahaya Bello is rumoured to have recruited a few thugs from across the State with the intention of creating crisis so that people will feel that he is popular, and whatever he has done to impose a candidate be accepted.
It is thought that Lokoja and Ajaokuta LGAs will be the theatre of the orchestrated violence Yahaya Bello’s thugs will bring, attacking Igala people to spark ethnic crisis.
Information has been passed to Igala people to prepare for self defence. The security agencies will be formally notified of the intelligence received on the intention of Yahaya Bello to spark ethnic crisis in the State capital and parts of Ajaokuta.
The plan of Yahaya Bello to spark ethnic crisis has capacity to awaken the Igala majority from slumber, with consequences of the crisis going beyond what Yahaya Bello may be planning.
Yahaya Bello may know only where he may spark the fire. He will not know the extent the fire will burn. It is therefore in the interest of peaceful coexistence that the federal government reign in Yahaya Bello, and instruct security agencies to be at alert, to ensure that there is no victim of the plan of Yahaya Bello which may spark further uncontrolled crisis in the State.
The majority people of Kogi State have voted their choice and are patiently following the activities in the tribunal, looking forward to the courts doing the needful so that the tension that has been created in Kogi State in eight years due to bad governance can come to and end.
Kogi will experience peace again, where dissent is respected as part of what makes democracy beautiful.
God bless Kogi State.
