Youths from Kogi State made a strong statement on Tuesday, asserting their determination to defend the state’s reputation against what they perceive as the actions of unscrupulous politicians.
Gathered under the banner of the Kogi Independent Youths Association, they urged vigilance from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, cautioning against being manipulated by politicians with malicious agendas. After a crucial leadership meeting in Abuja, they reaffirmed their role as guardians of the state’s integrity, vowing to oppose any attempts to tarnish its image.
Comrade Mohammed Abdulrazaq, from Igalamela Local Government Area of Kogi State, who spoke on behalf of the youths, stressed that they would not allow “embittered politicians” to turn Kogi State into an ethnic enclave of crisis and would employ every legal means to protect the integrity of the state.
The youths, however, said they were confident that the current leadership of the EFCC would not fall for the antics of the said politicians and would also not allow themselves to be used as a tool to achieve the selfish interests of a few embittered people.
The Kogi Independent Youths Association is made up of about 500 registered members, mainly graduates, with thousands of nominal members and supporters across all the 21 local government areas of the state.
Abdulrazaq said, “We will not wait to gather money for a proper press conference because this is a very important issue. We believe we must use every means at our disposal to speak up, defend the truth, expose the real enemies of Kogi State and warn them to change their ways.
“We are here to caution the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to advise them that they must be wary of those individuals whose intentions are not noble and who are out there to use the Commission as a tool to fight their political battles.
“There are some desperate Kogi politicians who are hell bent on using the EFCC to fight and achieve their selfish political interests and we, as youths of Kogi State, we must not keep quiet because an injury to one is an injury to all.”
In between solidarity songs, the youths stated, “We must not keep quiet on this for a man who has done well for Kogi State. We know and they know that the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has done well in the area of infrastructure. We know and they know that the former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has done well in the area of youth empowerment, youth inclusion and women inclusion in politics as far as Kogi State is concerned.
“We know and they know that former Governor Yahaya Bello has done well in the area of education, also lifting the face of our institutions in Kogi State. And when he needs a rest now, after serving Kogi State diligently for eight years, we cannot pay him back with this bad coin.
“This is why we are here today to condemn some Kogi State politicians, desperate Kogi State politicians, embittered Kogi State politicians, who feel they can divide the state along ethnic lines. We are saying Kogi State is one and we are one united people. We will not allow them to turn Kogi State into an ethnic enclave of crisis.
“We must stand as youths to fight against this. We are critical stakeholders in the present and future of Kogi State. We are not just leaders of tomorrow but the champions of the change today that is critical to the development process. Of course, if our leaders in the state are quiet on this, we will not remain quiet.
“So we are cautioning and warning all the embittered politicians of Kogi State to stop portraying the image of Kogi State in a bad light in the face of the whole world. Kogi State is not like that and we must also ensure that we maintain the name and integrity of our dear state.”
“If all our demands fall on deaf ears, we will be left with no option than to utilise all legal means to drive home our demands,” they declared.
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