Group under the aegis of
Nigeria Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Council (NENYLC) has pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the feud between Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and the PDP senatorial candidate in Kogi Central, Barr. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The group in a press conference on Tuesday described the feud as anti-democratic, a threat to women inclusion in politicis and called on the Kogi State Governor to reconsider his stance on the feud with the Kogi Central senatoeial candidate as a leader and treat it with due diligence.
The apex coalition body of NENYLC consisting of 407 ethnic groups in a statement noted it’s extremely
concerned over the recent excessive imbroglio between the Governor Yahaya Bello and Barr. Natasha Apoti-Uduaghan over allegations and counter allegations of terrorism escapades and hobnobbing with one “Shafiu” and leading further threats of attacks, media maligning-cum aggressive vilifications and intimidation between both parties, consequently causing hydraheaded tensions and fears in Kogi State.
The press release reads further:
“Kogi State is strategically positioned between North and South on the borderline which serves as melting point of national unity and stability.
“To all right thinking members of the society we see this as symptoms of political attrition and vendetta against each other, but we are quick to draw a line of caution that Natasha Apoti-Uduaghan is a woman and needed to be treated with care and cautious understanding, most importantly our women needed to be encouraged rather than discouraged by such impending calamitous tendencies, due to the fact that we need to thread cautiously as we approach the 2023 general elections, we hereby use this medium to alert the law enforcement agents to ensure adequate security and peaceful process, in view of some agent provocateurs who are hellbent in causing political, ethnic and religious crises and tensions by overheating the polity with uncouth and unguided statements capable of destroying the fragile peace we are currently battling with to sustain.
“The two contending forces are both youths within our context. As a matter of promotion of democracy and inclusion of women and youths in politics and governance, we call on His Excellency, Alh. Yahaya A. Bello to reconsider his stance on this feud as a leader and lover of democracy in the state. Persistence of this rift will make the atmosphere unsafe for women participation in politics and governance.
“We therefore, urge both parties as well, to develop a cordial relationship having come from same ethnic group, Senatorial District, state and peer group in order to bring development to bear on the Constituency, State and the nation at large. Relevant stakeholders in the state should also play a role in resolving this situation.
“Partisanship shouldn’t bring political divide but exchange of views and ideas for the common development of the people.
“In furtherence to the aforementioned, it is pertinent to inform President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and ensure to resolve
peacefully all ensuing vagaries of crises and political animosity, while demanding all law enforcement agents and security apparatus and institutional architecture to ensure detailed investigation and thorough background check is carried out on this whole allegations raised for detailed investigation and thorough prosecution at a court of competent jurisdiction.
“Consequently, this ongoing feud if not curtailed is capable of causing breach of peace and disruption of law and order in Kogi State, considering the fragile peace and security warning ahead of the 2023 elections.
“We finally demand a seize fire from all points of interest and attacks forthwith
We have emphatically spoken.
Comrade Terry Obeih,
President General, NENYLC/ President, Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Council.