The Coalition of Concerned Kogi Indigenes (CCKI) has explained that it shunned the ongoing national protest because of a philanthropist, Hajiya Halimat Adenike Tejuosho.
In a statement by its Chairman, Comrade Philip Adamu Isa; and Secretary, Oheiza Anda Racheal, CCKI said that it made the clarification after its attention had been drawn to “different public comments, especially from stakeholders who do not even know what necessitated our actions, yet trying to claim the glory”
The statement further read: “We, as concerned Kogi indigenes with not fewer than one million members, at this juncture want the general public to know that we have been following Kogi politics with keen interests, studying and, to a large extent, understand the dynamics and the complexity of our people in Kogi State.
“Kogi, in recent times, has suffered a series of setbacks due to our perceived differences, ranging from political affiliation, tribe, religion, among other factors. For these reasons and many more, the Confluence State, ahead of the protest, began to make consultations to distance ourselves from the national rage and toe the path of patience, peace and dialogue.
“This quest and understanding recently led to our partnership with key Nigerian patriots like Hajiya Halimat Adenike Tejuosho, who is a philanthropist using her personal resources to support the less privilege through the QAT Foundation.
“We had several meetings with her in Lokoja and the FCT respectively, where she solicited our intervention to mobilise our people against the nationwide protest in solidarity with the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration.
“The emotional Hajiya Halimat told us that, ‘you know Kogi will be bloody if you allow this protest to go on in your state. Kogi is divided across religious, tribal and other differences, and because of that, a lot of people, especially the opposition parties, would take advantage of this protest to wreck havock in the state. I called you here because I know you have the ears of your people and they will listen to you’.
“Hajiya Halimat Adenike also persuaded us that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government is just one year and should be given more time to address some of the challenges facing the country.
“Although she admitted that Nigerians are passing through hard times, yet she disclosed that the present government inherited some liabilities from previous administration, pacifying us to support President Tinubu instead of going out for protest that may result to violent in the state”.
The statement added that, “with the understanding of our state and its political terrain, we gave Hajiya Halimat Adenike our word, that Kogi youths will not be part of any demonstration against the Tinubu-led government and, to the glory of God, our people listened to us and refused to come out for the protest.
“Today, Kogi like other states, would have been in turmoil with citizens hard earned investment looted, innocent lives wasted with public and private organisations destroyed and everywhere in tension because of an act perpetrated by criminal minded elements in the name of protest.
“We want to categorically state and re-emphasised that Kogi State is a very peaceful state, and we will not allow any faceless group to disturb the peaceful atmosphere we are enjoying here. We will not be part of any protest because President Bola Ahmed Tinubu needs more time to address Nigeria’s challenges.
“Meanwhile, we want to use this opportunity to urge Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider competence in his next phase of appointments especially for the position of Humanitarian Affairs Minister”.
