Politics of ethnicity fuel Kogi electoral violence ― Late Audu’s son, Mustapha

The wave of violence that characterised the November 16 Governorship election in Kogi State alongside the Kogi West Senatorial election has been blamed on the politics of ethnicity championed by both the political leaders and the electorate.

Prince Mustapha Mona Audu blamed the people of Kogi whom he said should have known better and focused their demand on good governance instead of championing ethnicity.

“Everyone is shouting Igala, Ebira, Oku, Yoruba, Kakanda. It is wrong, this division is what brings about violence, even when people of the same tribe cohabit together because they believe in different ideologies or different parties they begin to fight each other kill each other.

“It is very unfortunate that we haven’t grown past this and as a Kogite I am ashamed that these are the news and reports that come out of Kogi State.”

Audu said this to reporters while fielding questions on the recently concluded elections in his home state just as the family celebrates the life of their late patriarch, Prince Abubakar Audu who passed on four years ago at the eve of his electoral victory.

Audu was one of the aspirants in the race for the Lugard House in Lokoja but was disqualified by the party who faulted his nomination process and said he has no evidence of financial commitment to the party and for failure to attach evidence of his age declaration.

The young Audu said the family has decided to rename the Millennium Building Plaza Abuja to Prince Abubakar Audu House as part of measures to advance his legacy.

He said although because of his party’s leaning he is expected to be politically correct, the nature of the violence especially the post-election violence where PDP women leader, Salome Abuh was murdered in broad day was not in consonance with the political ideology of his father, late Abubakar Audu, thus cannot be swallowed by him in spite of his party affiliation.

Mrs. Salome Abuh was set ablaze in her home two days after the elections with her killers blocking all exit from the house that would have made her escape the inferno.

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Audu who said they have lined up some charity programme to celebrate the life of their late father both in Abuja and his hometown in Kogi state pointed out that perpetrators of electoral violence in any form should be arrested and prosecuted.

He maintained that Nigerians against whom the crime is perpetrated should vigorously campaign for maximum penalty against election violence offenders to serve as deterrence.

“The truth about it is that he (Prince Audu Abubakar) always believed in peaceful free and fair election and unfortunately it is no longer the case in Kogi State, election violence seems to be synonymous with the state, it is a thing of shame for every Kogites that we cannot express our views peacefully, fairly.

“It is a thing of shame that we kill each other over things that will pass away. Audu never stood for that. We have been mourning over the woman killed in this election, my I believe if he is here he would have visited her family. It is still unfortunate that today there is still election violence, no one is happy in Kogi State.

“I said it before, we are all complaining. A 19-year-old boy was killed in Anyigba in the 2019 election. I heard now that they have arrested some people I hope they face the full wrath of the law.

“I am not happy. We set up a call centre to receive videos on election violence and what we got was overwhelming. It is sad. I know that consistently, elections have gradually improved.

“It is wrong for Nigerians to kill themselves. They should emulate previous leaders and current ones leaders who never put their ambitions high and above the people. Like late Abubakar Audu, who sacrificed themselves for the people. That is what we need. We need leaders that are dedicated to developing their state and their people.

“There are lawmakers, if we pressure them to make a law to ensure that people that commit election violence face maximum prison sentences I believe this will deter people.

“We hope that now that the APC has won the election, we hope that we can all come together regardless of everything that has happened. The only way we can move forward is through unity.

“Anybody who wants to seek redress, who feels that he has been unjustly treated should do it through the proper channel. There is no need for agitation and getting each other angry, that is the reason why elections are like this because we cannot even get along as a people,” he said.