Kogi warns politicians, residents against ‘divisive campaigns’ ahead of guber election

The Kogi government has warned politicians against “divisive campaigns and inciting falsehoods” ahead of the state’s gubernatorial election billed for November 11.

In a statement on Sunday, Kingsley Fanwo, the commissioner for information and communications, asked residents to report those circulating such campaigns to law enforcement agencies.

The commissioner said such falsehoods were circulated by “agents of political desperation who are bent on destroying the unity and peace enjoyed by the state”.

“The Kogi state government wishes to draw the attention of the general public to the antics of mischief makers and ethnic bigots to stoke the flames of ethnic resentment, division and hate by agents of political desperation who are bent on destroying the unity and peace enjoyed by the state,” the statement reads.

“Their unintelligent approach has been to push ethnically divisive words and attribute same to Governor Yahaya Bello in order to incite certain ethnic groups against his person and his administration. These statements are not only false but also an ignominy of dragging our state back to the conquered era of ethnic chauvinism.

“Governor Yahaya Bello through his actions, projects, appointments and unifying leadership credentials, has succeeded in building the state into what politics cannot balkanize. We remain a united and prosperous state.

“We urge members of the public to look out for and ignore those inciting falsehoods as well as report those who circulate them to law enforcement agencies. It is clearly the handiwork of politicians who do not have the interest of the state at heart.”