A known as Yoruba Youth Council, YYC, has slammed the Kogi State governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Murtala Ajaka, for refusing to honour the invitation by the police in the ongoing investigation of a recent killing of a prominent politician and member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state.
In a statement Signed by its President and its Publicity Secretary, Comrade Eric Oluwole and Saheed Adeola, said that as a potential governor, Ajaka should serve as a shining example to the people of Kogi State and all Nigerians in all his conducts as a law abiding citizen.
It strongly condemned Ajaka’s behaviour which it said could encourage lawlessness and breed anarchy in the state.
The statement said Ajaka should honour the police invitation over the of allegations against him.
Also, it said he should allow peace to reign in the state or else the youth leaders in Nigeria will embark on a massive campaign against him as unfit to govern.
Oluwole said that his refusal to honour the police invitation means a leader like him cannot rule the state, because we’re in a democracy and nobody is above the law
He warned that Ajaka should not do anything that could encourage anarchy, or lawlessness.
The police, he noted, are performing their statutory duties as laid down by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and should be supported by every citizen of the Country in their discharge of their onerous responsibilities to ensure the safety of Nigerians and their property.
According to Oluwole, the police invitation to the PDP candidate was a normal routine procedural step by the Nigeria Police Force, as it is for the police forces all over the world during investigation to unravel, prosecute and punish the actual culprits of crimes and ensure that the innocent do not suffer unnecessarily, in the overall interest of the society and Justice.
He said the Kogi State Police Command in this case did the right thing by inviting Ajaka and whosoever that might have been suspected of any link with the brutal murder of the departed politician.
According to him, honouring the invitation, which does not amount to an indictment, offers Ajaka or whosoever is invited to clear him or herself of any suspicion of any involvement in the crime or anything which may further tarnish their hard earned reputation and names.
Oluwole therefore called on well meaning leaders in the society to prevail on Ajaka to honour the lawful invitation by the police.
The Kogi State Police Command had on Sunday accused Ajaka of undermining the peace and security of the state with his apleged refusal to honour its invitation in the ongoing probe of the circumstances that led to the killing of a politician in Kotonkarfe LGA of the state, on Saturday.
A statement by its spokesman, SP William Ovye Aya, said it received a report where “some persons were said to have been killed and injured in the process through political violence.”
Particularly, the state’s police commissioner promised the people of the state that the command would do everything to secure lives and property.
Also, he condemned acts by some politicians, who he said had taken it upon themselves to cause mayhem and heat up the state through “their unguarded utterances and unregulated activities”.
He specifically accused the governorship candidate of SDP of conducts that had allegedly continued to jeopardize security efforts in the state, saying he “moves around with a retinue of suspected political thugs armed to the teeth.”
“His riding rough-shod and engaging in political brinkmanship and brigandage is an ill-wind that blows no one any good,” the Police said.
According to the CP, while other parties have been carrying the Police along in their activities, “the SDP Candidate has consistently and vehemently refused to honour any of Police invitations for investigation, or inform the Commissioner of Police nor the Command while embarking on political rallies.”
The statement said the CP had directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), to commence an investigation of all acts of political violence, accusations and counter-accusations on all the Political Parties and Actors with a view to b bringing offenders to book.