Courtesy: Nigerians Tribune)
By Yekini Jimoh
Youths of Ebiraland under the aegis of Ebira Youth Coalition have cautioned the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to be wary of the ongoing face-off between the immediate past governor of Kogi, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
This was a response to a press statement credited to the senator who lauded the ongoing efforts by (EFCC) to apprehend and prosecute the immediate past governor of Kogi, Yahaya Bello, over an alleged N80.2 billion fraud.
In the statement issued by her Chief Press Secretary Arogbonlo Israel, the Kogi lawmaker commended the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, for his ongoing anti-graft war.
The youth group in a press statement released to newsmen in Lokoja, signed by its Coordinator, Fache Onimisi Moses, said the name of the senator was sounding loudly in dangerous quarters suggesting that she is conniving with those who are persecuting Ebira nation over her recent political gains.
The group said the EFCC chairman, Mr Olukeyede, in his infamous press conference, made an allusion to Senator Natasha having a hand in the whole saga.
“Other fictitious and faceless write-ups with Ebira’s names are coming from directions that suggest her complicity in the matter.
“No Ebira man or woman worthy of his or her background would trade off his brother because of domestic disputes. So whatever political disputes must have ensued between Yahaya Bello and Senator Natasha in the past are issues that have no relevance in the current persecution of Yahaya Bello by EFCC.
“So any attempt by Senator Natasha to collaborate with outsiders to humiliate our illustrious son will be resisted vehemently by well-meaning AneEbira and that could mark the end of her political career in this state, at least, in Kogi Central.
“Ebira people to the best of our knowledge have resolved their differences by voting to take her to the Senate and coming together enmass to deliver Usman Ododo as Governor of Kogi.
“What Natasha needs to do now is to collaborate with the state government to bring the much-needed development to our district and not to connive with enemies of our people in their vendetta against the immediate past governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
“We also wish to inform the reading public not to be carried away by sponsored write-ups against the former governor carrying Ebira name. They are thrashes written to either give currency to their makeup stories or suggest that the former governor no longer enjoys the support of his people,” the group stated.
