- Blasts PDP, APC Leaders.
A sociocultural group, Igala Vanguard, has threatened ostracize any Igala indigene that succumbs to play second fiddle in the next governorship election in Kogi state, saying such a person will be declared persona non grata in Igala land.
Addressing newsmen in Idah, a leader of the group, Engr Lawrence Akpa who expressed bitterness over the continued marginalisation of the Igala in Kogi state, said “it’s only in Kogi state that the largest and majority tribe is being treated as a minority.”
Engr Akpa condemned Governor Yahaya Bello for sowing seeds of discord in Igala land.
According to him, “the position of Deputy Governor should be between Ebira and the people of Kogi West which comprises of Okun and Lokoja/Koto people.”
The group endorse Idoko Kingsley Ilona and Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, who are both from Idah Federal Constituency, as preferred candidates of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC).
The group further called on other aspirants in APC to step down in a spirit of sacrifice and unionism for Muritala Ajaka and those on the Peoples Democratic Party PDP to do the same for Idoko Kingsley Ilona, insisting that according to Igala arrangements the next Governor should come from Idah federal constituency.
Engr Akpa also criticized the leadership of both APC and PDP in Igala land for their inability to come up with harmonized positions in favour of the region. He accused them of being afraid of Governor Bello.
He declared that the Igala of Kogi East and Bassa will no longer accept the position of deputy governor and threatened that any person who is of Igala stock that accept such will be declared persona non grata.
