Yahaya Bello: Obi movement is like #EndSARS… youths may get nothing out of it

Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi, says the movement involving supporters of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), is similar to that of #EndSARS.

Speaking on Monday when he featured on Politics Tonight, a Television Continental (TVC) programme, Bello said youths should have a rethink about their support for Obi.

Many Nigerians had taken to the streets in October 2020 to protest against police brutality under the #EndSARS movement.

The protests led to the disbandment of the special anti-robbery squad (SARS), a unit of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

The federal government also directed states to set up judicial panels of inquiry to look into claims of police brutality, after which several states offered compensation to victims.

The protest was, however, later hijacked by hoodlums.

Speaking on Monday, Bello said youths need to have a rethink on their support for Obi.

“You spoke about the other candidate (Obi). His movement is more like #EndSARS movement and at the wee hours of that #EndSARS movement, I did caution the younger generation, that the way and manner they were going about the agitation, they might not get anything out of it, and I have been vindicated,” the governor said.

“I was the only governor that addressed them openly — three times I made a broadcast cautioning them.

“That’s the same manner they are taking this movement. I think I will ask them to rather have a rethink.”

Bello, who is the national youth coordinator of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council, said Bola Tinubu, standard bearer of the party, is seeking to serve Nigerians.

“Bola Tinubu is a household name. He is not seeking to be popular; he is seeking to serve. He is seeking to replicate the successes, the achievements in terms of administration of human resources in Lagos,” he said.

“APC is united. APC is poised to win the general election — majority of the state, majority national assembly seats.

“In an evolving political system, you are bound to make mistakes and the mistakes of the past, we have learnt from it. No political party is as strong as APC and ready to win the next general election.”