Kogi Central PDP campaign council flays Gov Bello over alleged threats of violence

By Christiana Ekpa

The Kogi Central Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council has slammed the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, over his alleged threats of violence against opposition in the zone, even as it urged President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and save the State from impending crisis.

A statement issued yesterday by the Kogi Central PDP campaign council alleged that the Governor made the threats while addressing the people of Ihima and other guests at the Technical College, Ihima, Kogi State, on Sunday.

It said the the governor threw caution to the wind by issuing threats to his political rivals in a manner unbefitting of the holder of that office in a democratic and free society. 

“In his characteristic manner, he turned the entire occasion into an avenue to issue death and security threats to his perceived political opponents in Ebiraland.

Whereas we condemn in its totality the vile, evil and destructive utterances of Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello, we enjoin the security agencies, the international community, the civil society and all peace-loving people to wade into the matter in order to check the excesses of the governor and to save the good people of Kogi Central from the calamity that he is capable of unleashing on them.

“If left unchecked, the utterances of the governor are capable of plunging Kogi Central and indeed the entire state into chaos. Time and time again, he has demonstrated his love for violence which, combined with his puerile arrogance, is a deadly dose of disaster that portends danger for the country, especially at a time when the prayer on the lips of well-meaning Nigerians is for peace and security to prevail over the current challenges that the country is grappling with”, the statement said.

Pointing out that such statements leave much to be desired of the Chief Security Officer of a State, the PDP group said anyone holding such a position ought to be one leading the charge for peaceful conduct as against one who instigates crisis by making divisive remarks which are capable of overheating the polity.

“But that is not the case in Kogi State and we as concerned citizens will not fold our arms and see the peace and security of our people being threatened. This remark was captured in a video which has since gone viral. In that video, he was also heard saying that act with “fierce fire” and that those refusing to heed to his calls will be dealt with. He also made utterances claiming that:

“if I cannot do it so that we win all our positions one hundred per cent when the time comes, when we shall handover to the person we like, then that is failure and I am not a failure…”