The Igala Cultural and Development Association (ICDA) board of trustees has thrown their weight behind the gubernatorial ambition of Engr. Musa Wada who is contesting on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
At a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, members of the umbrella body with over 500 socio-cultural and political associations across Kogi State noted that candidates of all political parties contesting governorship have been assessed and aggregated, saying that Engr. Musa Wada possess capacity to redefine leadership in the state.
Chairman of the body, Dr. Yakubu Ugwolawo said, the group was taking into consideration, sacrifices of political heroes past who put in their best to have Kogi project realised.
He recalled how late politician, Dr. Stephen Achema and Chief Silas Bamidele Daniyan worked tirelessly for good governance, lamenting that the present administration did not only deviate, but performed woefully that should not be allowed to continue.
“It is on this note that we are calling on all Igala sons and daughters, the Ebira and Okun at home and Diaspora to rally round Engr. Musa Wada of the PDP in the forthcoming governorship election.”
The group lamented the unimaginable relegation of Igala people by President Muhammadu Buhari, saying that 50% of the total votes in Kogi State came from Igala nation which was not translated into dividends of democracy for the people.
“In the current political dispensation, we wish to state that, out of the total number of 285,894 votes, APC attracted from Kogi State in the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari, a total number of 146,311 came from Igala nation, which constitutes 50% of the total votes.
“It is therefore very saddening that to note that such ethnic nationality could be totally neglected in the scheme of things in this nation.
“We have come to believe that our continual silence has caused this form of neglect suffered by our people over the years, when we review priorities given to other ethnic groups”, the group said.
They faulted the Federal government for not including the Igala in top political and Civil Service appointments, adding that there was grand conspiracy against the people.
They wondered at the replication of the neglect of Igala people at the State by Governor Yahaya Bello administration, saying that the Igala which constitutes 50% did not have headship of any of the three arms of government in the state.
On the forthcoming governorship election, the group stressed that the electorate have informed opinion on who they would vote, but allayed fears on the antics of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agents.
They called on INEC to avoid temptation of creating opportunity for rigging, saying that the would resist any form of manipulation at all cost.
“We call on the Independent National Electoral Commission as an unbiased Electoral umpire not to be tempted by the craftiness of political gladiators to insult the sensibility of the people by putting in place deliberate rigging machineries in the forthcoming governorship election.”
The group noted that it was aware of antics of the ruling All Progressives Congress to thwart the effort of Igala nation to produce the next Governor, adding that there would launch a platform to be known as “Ujache Campaign Movement”, to drive ambition of producing the next Governor.
