According to the Oxford Advance Leaner’s Dictionary, the word ‘peace’ means “a situation or period of time in which there is no war or violence.In a country or an area, it also means the state of living in friendship with one another. Violence on the other hand is defined asbehaviors that are intended to hurt or kill’’
These two definitions triggered the preaching of peaceful co-existence in Kogi State. Recently, as witnessed in some parts of the state prior to the National/Presidential re – scheduled elections, there were attacks and counter attacks as a result of arguments and choice of candidates in the just concluded elections in which brothers were not on the same page ‘’though, partisan politics is all about ideology and conviction. However, this assertion is taken beyond red line in my area as it degenerated to full scale violence as youths of deferent political parties engaged in political violence.
Precisely in OduOkpakili – Ate Unit 006, Odu Ward 1 inDekina Local Government, property worth millions of naira were destroyed. In fact, some party loyalist of the ruling All Progressives Congress,{APC} and leading opposition Peoples Democratic Party,{PDP} suffered various degrees of injuries, and business places were also vandalized. But at the end,the result goes thus: Odu Ward 1, Unit 006 Okpakili Ate, Senate APC 302, ADC 2, PDP 1, Reps APC 297, ADC 5, PDP 5, State Assembly APC 290, ADC 13, and PDP 4.
It is pathetic and disheartening to note that, despite all these monumental destruction of property of party faithfuls no government official or party stalwart has come to console victims of these violence attacks. Though pictures of the destruction were demanded by political leaders but no action was taken to ameliorate the pains of the victims.
Up to the last month, the political development of KogiCentral it was noticed that the SDP senatorial candidate Barr Natasha Akpoti had already rebuild houses destroyed and also replaced motorcycles that were burnt.Thesehappened few weeks after the general elections. The questions begging for answers are;
- Should we have supported Natasha Akpoti’s SDP in the said election even when we are not from the same senatorial district?
- Has it become a crime for one to align his or her self to a political party? And
- Is Natasha Akpoti financially better than the likes of His Excellences Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, Ibrahim Idris, Capt. Idris Wada who is from the said polling unit by birth or Chief Edward David Onoja the Super Chief of Staff, Hon Hassan Abdullahi, Hon Ben Okolo, or the Popular Alhaji Jibrin Isah Echocho?
I’m surprised and confounded by the claims of ignorance of these incidence by these political heavyweights after which the case dragged to the state headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force, Kogi State Command.
It is in view of the above, that we need to learn to live in peace and harmony with one another because another season of deception is here with us again. Consequently, this scenario is a litmus test for all politicians jostling to be a number 1 citizen of Kogi State. No doubt as they continue their consultations, they should be aware that the pains and the agony of the previous electoral violence is still living with the people of Odu Okpakili Ate in Dekina Local Government Area.
I write this to show Kogites the effects of violence in an election hence, political leaders should stand up to their responsibilities as the earthly leaders to forestall the outbreak of political violence in Kogi State, to avoid loss of lives and property.
– Joseph Omojo Peter is a Public Commentator and a member of the All Progressive Congress.
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