A political pressure group, Kogi Youth Ambassadors (KYA) has called on registered political parties to pick their governorship candidates from the Western Senatorial District of the state to equity, fairness and justice.
The State Coordinator of the group, Mr Abdulrahman Adbdulsalam, made the call at a news conference on Tuesday in Lokoja.
Adbdulsalam said the state`s governorship position should be rotated to ensure equity, fairness and justice.
He noted that no state in Nigeria had multiethnic diversity like Kogi, adding that such unique endowment should not be taken for granted.
According to Abdulsalam, the Kogi East has ruled the state for over 16 years, while Kogi Central is currently in its eight years.
He said that it was therefore the turn of Kogi West to govern the state for equity, fairness and justice.
He, specifically appealed to Gov. Yahaya Bello to consider a candidate from Kogi West as his successor as a way of unifying the state.
”The Kogi youth ambassadors do not have any aspirant in mind by our agitation, but all we want is for power to shift to Kogi West for the sake of equity, fairness and justice.
”We want Gov. Yahaya Bello, to adopt a competent, reliable and credible candidate from Kogi West as his successor.
”We are also appealing to opposition political parties to also chose credible candidates from Kogi West for the state governorship elected slated for November,” Abdulsalam said.
He said the group had put in place strategies for consultation, sensitisation and mobilisation to achieving its demand for the unity of Kogi.
He said the group had over 20,000 members with Permanent Voters` Cards (PVCs) across the 239 Wards in the state.
Abdulsalam assured that the group would be engaging in vigorous sensitisation and mobilisation to press home its demand.
Also speaking, the Zonal Coordinator of the group, Mr Austin Alabi, said their desire was to ensure that equity, fairness and justice was maintained in Kogi.
”We advise the government of the day to consider a credible and reliable candidate, that has the interest of Kogi at heart and ready to develop the state to the next level just as Gov. Bello has done.
”The governor has done well in infrastructure and security, and we expect him to get a successor from Kogi West that can consolidate on his legacies and develop our state to the next level,” Alabi said.
He enjoined all registered political parties in the state to imbibe the idea by fielding candidates from the western senatorial district of Kogi. (NAN)