National Coordinator, Peoples Democratic Party National Youth Frontiers (PDPNYF), Comrade Austin Usman Okai has called on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare Kogi Governor’s seat vacant in the interest of democracy.
A statement issued on behalf of the body in Abuja, Okai stated that the decision of INEC to sack three staff that colluded with Kogi state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello in the criminal act of double voters’ registration will be incomplete if the governor is not sanctioned by removal from office. He insisted that Bello should be disqualified from holding public office.
Comrade Okai said that the continuous occupation of Kogi governor seat by Yahaya Bello is an affront the Nigeria Electoral Act.
The youth leader argued that allowing Gov. Bello to preside over the affairs of Kogi state have grievous implication being the architect of the whole illegality occasioned by his invitation to of INEC staff to Kogi government house to carry out the illegal action.
“Governor Yahaya Bello, who registered in Abuja, did not vote in Kogi state as against the provisions of Electoral Act is now caught engaging in sharp practices against the electoral law.
“Efforts by the Kogi governor to cover up the illegal process through denials and mischievous tendencies failed woefully through INEC’s independent investigations and the pictures of the illegal act in public domain,” he said.
Usman Okai urged INEC to use its constitutional powers to declare the seat vacant and begin process of filling the vacuum without further delay.
The media blogger warned INEC on the dangers inherent in its partial decision to sanction its staffers alone leaving the principal culprit, Gov. Bello to go scot-free without sanction to serve as deterrent to others
He described the decision of the governor to indulge in anti-democratic practices as shambolic. He said the embarrassment caused the state is unacceptable to Kogi people.
