By Clara Joel
The Igala community in Jos the Plateau state capital have rejected the purported endorsement of Governor Yahaya Bello by traditional rulers in the state.
this is contained in a statement signed by its National Leader, Rtd Comptroller Abdul Amade and made available to newsmen. The statement reacting to the purported endorsement called on Igala sons and daughters within and outside Nigeria to disregard the endorsement, describing it as stage-managed “the evidently stage-managed visit of our ‘Traditional Rulers’ from Kogi State to President Muhammad Buhari in an attempt to seek his support for the imposition of a particular candidate on the good people of the State in the fourth- coming Governorship election in November 2019, we wish to State in clear and unambiguous terms, that the entire Igala race which the voice, Ukomi Igala, represents, is not happy with the ongoing siege of our Traditional Rulers”
“The presentation made during the said visit, is not a true reflection of the wishes and aspirations of the good people of the Igala Kingdom as the ‘Traditional Rulers’ were merely arm twisted to make a commitment in favour of the ongoing political aspirations of individual interests in Kogi State.
We urge the President to disregard the teleguided message in the interest of peace and justice that informed the massive support of Kogites for the change mantra.”
The statement further reads: “The people of Kogi State, who, overwhelmingly voted for President Muhammed Buhari in the last Presidential election, did so in solidarity with the President who has been adjudged to be one of the most upright and financially disciplined Nigerian. This position of the President must not be allowed to be stained as we urge the President not to allow individual interests to becloud his political judgment based on the contents of the speech during the visit by our Traditional Rulers.
“The Traditional Rulers remain the custodian of the culture and tradition of our people and are by their status, expected to sacredly be respected as such and not coerced into any form of political manoeuvring.”
We call on President Muhammad Buhari, National Officers of the APC and other Political Parties to disregard all clandestine and deceptive moves by any individual or groups to misrepresent the feelings and yearnings of the good people of the State by ensuring that only credible candidates with good track records should be allowed to fly their Governorship tickets in the fourth- coming Governorship election in the state.”
Indeed, our people are tired of the extreme insecurity, hunger and pestilence in Kogi state
