Group seeks accounts of 13% oil derivation, urges Governor to declare amount received

AKOR SYLVESTER-Abuja

The Kogi East Critical Stakeholders (KECS)  have called on Governor Ododo of the state to declare without delay how much Kogi State is receiving as an oil-producing state.

KECS alleged that in the past two years since the state joined the prestigious club of oil-producing states, nothing in terms of development, payment of salaries, or development of host communities has taken place.

The Converner of the group, Sule Iyaji, at a press briefing in Abuja, said all the extra revenues accruing from the 13% derivations were presumably stolen by the leadership of the past administration of the state.

The group further gave Governor Ododo, within 7 working days, to tender a public apology to His Imperial Majesty, the ATA Igala, HRM Mathew Alaji Ogwuche Akpa 11, which it said the Governor disrespected during his inauguration to avert the wrath of the gods and Igala people worldwide.

The forum positioned “That Governor Ododo should close immediately, the purported illegal office of the immediate past Governor, failing which, he should be prepared for rapid legal fireworks for this brazen and cowardly unconstitutional act.

“That Governor Ododo has set out on a vengeful journey of governance through his skewed appointment against the people of Kogi East constitutes well over 50% of the state in terms of people and landmass, and should immediately balance the appointments.

“That his recent appointments of only two commissioners to represent Kogi East is a deliberate ploy to exclude the people that made up over 50% of the state population from decision making and governance, and therefore the evil plot is vehemently resisted by the people.

“That the President and Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should kindly intervene in the security situation in Omala and Dekina local government Areas and other parts of Kogi State, where herders have taken over the administration of our fishing and agrarian communities and now levying taxes on the hapless citizens for their use and sacking them from their farmlands and fishing grounds. The herders are equally expanding their control to other communities thereby creating unrest and displacement of our people. The urgent intervention of Mr. President would prevent further bloodshed and recourse to self-help by the populace.

“This call on Mr. President becomes necessary because of the nonchallant attitude of the Kogi State Government to the prevailing serious security situation. It is on this note, that we join other Nigerians in the call for the creation of state and local government police; because we believe that, where there is a balance of terror, the security situation will abate as no community will watch their land and resources being taken over by strangers or land grabbers.

“The Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development should urgently intervene in the illegal mining activities all over Kogi East and other parts of Kogi State without environmental impact assessments thereby destroying our arable lands and causing unrest in the host communities”.

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