Governorship: Kogi youths reject Yahaya Bello for ‘disastrous’ first term

A volunteer group of youths from Kogi State stormed Abuja, the nation’s capital, on Wednesday, and held a protest rally against the incumbent governor, Yahaya Bello, whose first term they described as “disastrous”.

The protesting group,  Kogi Youth Movement, KYM, also asked the governor’s party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, to adopt the direct primary method to pick its candidate for the November 21, 2019 governorship election.

The youths protested against Governor Bello’s second term ambition at the Unity Fountain arena in Abuja, carrying varying placards with different inscriptions. One of them said  the KYM was adding their voice to the millions of others in the state who have “rejected the governor’s ambition.”

Some of the banners read: “All our hospitals are not functioning”; “Workers are owed salary”; “Comrade Oshiomhole Kogi loves you and we want direct primary”; as well as “PMB come to our rescue.”

Secretary of the group, Mr Ayuba Abdullahi, told newsmen during the protest that their aim was to ensure good governance in Kogi State, and foster youth development in all its ramifications.

He described Bello’s first term as “disastrous” for youths in Kogi and also kicked against his plan to coerce the traditional institution in the state to support his ambition.

“As youths,” the KYM scribe continued, “we are impressed with APC national leadership and President Muhammadu Buhari for his obvious strides to reposition our nation for the better.

“But it is with great displeasure that we pour out our mind that APC Kogi Chapter is now a centre for impunity, abnormalities and bias, orchestrated by Gov. Yahaya Bello.

“It is with this sense of pain that we decided to cry out to the world most importantly, President Buhari and the APC National Working Committee under the trusted leadership of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole; that they may come to our rescue in Kogi.

“The most recent among all of the numerous of problems and issues bedeviling Kogi is the intimidation of our traditional rulers who Gov. Yahaya Bello threatened.

“We want to state emphatically that Bello doesn’t deserve any sympathy because he doesn’t have sympathy for his citizens, hence the national body should disregard his plea to return against the wishes of the masses,” Abdullahi said.

Abdullahi also warned that APC risked losing Kogi State if the governorship ticket was handed over to Bello.

“We promise APC victory, but just change Bello,” he said