Stop Politicization of EFCC – Kogi Youth Warns
By Elizabeth Christopher
In a fervent display of solidarity and determination, the youths of Kogi State have cautioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), against potential manipulation for political vendettas.
Gathering under the banner of unity and civic responsibility, the youths emphasized the need for vigilance against nefarious attempts to exploit the EFCC as a tool in partisan struggles.
The youths, from the three senatorial districts of the state, under the aegis of Kogi Independent Youths Association, particularly cautioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to be wary of politicians who they said meant no good for Kogi State but were out to use the Commission to achieve selfish objectives detrimental to the wellbeing and unity the state had enjoyed in the past years.
Rising from an emergency leadership meeting in Abuja, Comrade Mohammed Abdulrazaq from Igalamela Local Government Area of Kogi State, who spoke on behalf of the youths, insisted that, as critical stakeholders, they had decided not to keep quiet but to warn all embittered politicians in the state to stop portraying its image in a bad light before the whole world.
“We are here to caution the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and 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.”
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.
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.
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.
Emmanuel Ukoj
