A group, G-21 Frontiers has berated the Kogi East Critical Elders for their endorsement of former Governor Yahaya Bello and his predecessor, Usman Ododo.
The Kogi state Coordinator of the group, Faruk Ismail in a statement in Abuja on Friday, expressed the disappointment with the elders for throwing their weight behind Bello despite his disregard for the rule of law.
LEADERSHIP recalls that the immediate past governor of Kogi State has been at loggerheads with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over moves to arrest him to throw lights on over N80 billion corruption charges.
The group in the statement said, “We are utterly dismayed and deeply disappointed by the recent endorsement of Yahaya Bello, a fugitive wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), by a group of self-proclaimed ‘Kogi East Stakeholders.
“We categorically condemn the endorsement of an individual who allegedly disregarded the law and betrayed the trust of his constituents.
“Yahaya Bello, a former Governor, has been accused of money laundering and other financial crimes and has fled, instead of facing the legal consequences of his actions. By endorsing such a person, we risk undermining law enforcement efforts and the fight against corruption”.
Continuing, the group said, “We urge the self-appointed endorsers, well-known for supporting electoral fraud in last year’s November off-season election, to reconsider their endorsement and support the victims of Bello’s alleged crimes. We must stand firm in upholding the core values of justice, accountability, and integrity that are indispensable to our society.
“Again, we are profoundly disappointed by the endorsement of Governor Ododo, whose electoral victory is tainted by allegations of fraud.
“We implore the endorsers to reevaluate their stance and stand in solidarity with the citizens in demanding free, fair, and credible elections. Let us uphold the fundamental principles of democracy, justice, and integrity that our society desperately needs.
‘We must prioritise the will of the people and maintain the integrity of our electoral process, instead of pursuing political expediency and personal loyalty. Failure to do so will weaken our democracy and erode public trust.
“Finally, while acknowledging the stakeholders’ right to express their vote of confidence, we believe a thorough examination of the endorsement process, including the roles, backgrounds, and selection criteria of these so-called stakeholders, is warranted. Such a review would ensure that endorsements genuinely reflect the will of the Kogi East Constituency,” the group noted.
