Senator, others out to blackmail Gov. Bello – Kogi youths

A socio-cultural movement, Kogi Youth Arise Group, said on Friday that it had uncovered plans by some blackmailers in the All Progressives Congress to destabilise the State and discredit the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello.
Through that action, the organisation said, those behind the threat to peace “have declared war against the people of Kogi State.
“Where are the faces who blew a broken whistle against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation? Blackmail and thuggery is not a part of Kogi. We know our true representatives.”
The KYAG specifically referred to a recent meeting said to have been held in an Abuja hotel “and sponsored by a desperate Senator who makes money from blackmail”.
A statement issued by the spokesperson of KYAG, Abdullahi Danjuma, on Friday urged all Kogites to be abreast of the plans of the group to distabilize the state.
The statement reads: “The attention of Kogi Youth Arise Group has been drawn to the gathering of failed politicians who are frustrated by the New Direction Agenda of the administration that has disproved their evil wishes against the state.
“Under the Governor Yahaya Bello administration, development and governance have overtaken politics of all for self. The gathering foam against the government was done people who are disillusioned due to the following reasons:
“Some of the disgruntled elements who held the discredited meeting at Amso Hotels in Abuja were with the Governor at the inception of his administration. But they fell off the rail when they realized the Governor is only interested in using the Kogi resources for the Kogi people, rather than channeling the Commonwealth of the people into few pockets.
“ Many of the attendants of the meeting are already scheming to defect from the party, having realized that APC has a strong ideology which is the different from the one they have been used to in their old PDP. More than 80% of the leaders of the group started their political career in the PDP and have been bugged by governance by brigandage.
“ It is unfortunate to note that the group has been dropping the name of the Vice President as the agent of factionalism in the state. But the Kogi State Government has an unblemished trust and confidence in the Vice President. We view him as a thoroughbred technocrat who is committed to a stronger, better and prosperous Nigeria in line with the plans of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
“ Governor Yahaya Bello will continue to pursue his dream and focus of repositioning Kogi State and make it impossible for thug-hirers to further destroy the lives of our youth. He is working hard to create capacity around the youth of the state and make thuggery a thing of the past. We urge all Kogites to be abreast of the plans of the Group to destabilise the state.”
Danjuma identified some of the resolutions of the group that met in Abuja as being: “To sponsor pockets of protests across the state capital, Lokoja, to discredit the heroics of the first 365 days of responsible governance in Kogi State. Some youth have been recruited in the state to carry out the hatchet job.
“To sponsor a publication to condemn the hugely successful Staff Verification Exercise in the state. Members of the group were jolted by the courage of government to remove the ghost names they put on the payrolls when they were influential in the state.”
Danjuma added: “We urge members of the public to remain unperturbed by the threat of the Group to the peace of Kogi State as Government is capable of protecting lives and property of the citizens against the people who have declared war against the people of Kogi State.
“Ultimately, the government of Alhaji Yahaya Bello will remain focused on achieving the New Direction Agenda that will accelerate development in Kogi State. For Kogi to work agents of good will have to face and record victory over the agents of darkness and corruption. This government has the will to be victorious because Kogi must move forward.
“As progressive youth in the state, we believe in the leadership of Governor Yahaya Bello in the state. The failed and expired politicians should leave APC in good time. Any attempt to disrupt the peace of the state by those who make money from blackmail will always fail.”