A youth group under the umbrella of kogi youth frontier (KYF) has appealed to the national chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, professor Yakubu mamoud to evacuate all the electoral materials used in the 11th November governorship election in the state to Abuja to avoid its destruction by aggrieved various interest groups.
The chairman of the KYF , Alhaji Danjuma Ibrahim declared this in Lokoja on Friday to newsmen, saying that relocation of Electoral materials from its present place for proper legal scrutiny is the only way not to say “good bye to democracy” in this country.
The group said the prevailing circumstances has created fragile security in the state, as the aggrieved or belligerent stakeholders are out launching attack on the electoral materials and bodies or things connected with that election.
While the group praised the wisdom of the Court of Appeal to relocate the election Tribunal to Abuja for its subsequent sittings due to insecurity situation, it advised the electoral umpire to as a matter of urgency key to this decision/ wisdom and evacuate the materials used in the said election to avoid being tempered with before the tribunal proceedings kick- off fully .
“The interest groups in the recent concluded gubernatorial election have created fears of unknown in the state because of vaulting ambition of stakeholders.
“There is a threat to burn down INEC office and officials ,including the materials used in the election by sponsored unruly youths .
“Tribunal members are no longer safe ,as they cannot move freely without looking at their back . The secretary of the state election Tribunal, David Umar Mark and two perceived INEC staff escaped death by whiskers few days ago in Lokoja, with all documents at this disposal taken away at gun point by their assailants .
“The scenario therefore has painted a route to anarchy in the state as gladiators and stakeholders in the interest groups are at dagger drawn and putting everything into the struggle to achieve their aim.
“In the interest of peace, justice and principle of fair play, we call on the national chairman to relocate Electoral materials to Abuja since is the only way the litigants in the election can process and prove their allegations in the said election” ,said the group .
While the group said it’s disheartening to see Stakeholders playing the ostrich in their bid to actualise their inordinate ambition, with claims and counter claims renting the political air space in the state, Ibrahim harps on decorum, morality and decency in a seemingly posture of by- all- means/ tricks of the players , which has put the lives and property on the edge in kogi .
