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What #EndSARS Protesters Should Have Done – Yahaya Bello

Published

2 years ago

September 19, 2022

Editor

Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, on Monday night said the unforgettable incident of EndSARS protest where several young Nigerians were shot at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos could have been averted if the demonstrators had channeled their anger into politics.

Bello, who was appointed as National Youth Coordinator of the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council on Sunday, made the statement when he appeared on Politics Today, a popular programme on Channels TV.

The development is coming less than a month to the commemoration of the ugly shooting incident that has remained indelible in the minds of Nigerians.

The #ENDSARS protests lasted between October 7th and 20th in Lagos and several other states in the country.

While the demonstrations lasted, relations, friends and associates of missing persons claimed their relations had either been killed or held incommunicado by security agents.

Of particular concern was the Lekki toll gate shooting of Tuesday, October 20, where peaceful #ENDSARS protesters were shot at by security agents, leading to a number of casualties.

Responding to questions on how he hopes to pacify and woo the Nigerian youths to look beyond the incident and vote for his principal, the national youth coordinator of APC Presidential Campaign Council said it was not an impossible task.

According to him, the incident could have been averted.

He said, “The first area where the EndSARS protesters were supposed to vent their anger was to channel their anger to politics and participate politically to decide their choice of leaders.

“Street protests and agitations are completely different from voting, election and electoral process.

“Recall that I was the first elected governor to have identified with the EndSARS protest and made myself known. I think I also addressed them three times and they listened to me, especially those that held in Kogi State. After the protest, I had the opportunity of meeting with some of the leadership of EndSARS and told them exactly where they got it wrong.

“Now, I am equally going to sensitise and tell them if they do not follow the right way. And the right way is to vote Senator Bola Tinubu, who will come and display his prowess in solving the problems we are being confronted with.”

When asked what he planned to tell some of the nation’s youths who are still angry and leaving the country for abroad over the manner the EndSARS phenomenon was handled, the Kogi governor admitted that his motive was to tell them the truth.

This is even as Bello noted he would be bringing the experience he garnered as a young governor who met a chaotic situation on ground to bear in his interaction with the Nigerian youths.

“I will tell them nothing but the truth that I am known for. First of all, the strikes, agitations and the menace going on in our tertiary institutions and various other sectors are completely uncalled for.

“We shall also sensitise them (youths) to be able to differentiate between political problems using this particular menace, those who are holding them back at home, why they are doing it and the need to take our destiny into our hands.

“Our leader, Asiwaju Tinubu, has identified me as a worthy man because of my performance in Kogi State. I came in at a time when schools including secondary teachers and tertiary institutions in the state were on strike. Upon assumption of office and up to six years counting now, not one single strike happened again in Kogi.

“So we are going to tell them those who have held them down and the need to hold them accountable. It is not APC, Buhari, or our presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.

“We are also going to show them how to read between the lines whenever any political party comes to use ASUU or any institution as a tool for campaign,” he said.

News

JUST IN: Court Denies Binance Executive, Gambaryan Bail

Published

20 mins ago

May 17, 2024

Editor

A Federal High Court Abuja, on Friday denied the bail application of a crypto currency firm executive, Tigran Gambaryan.

Justice Emeka Nwite, while delivering the ruling held that the bail application is refused as he has carefully gone through the application submitted before him and resolved that the defendant will jump bail if granted.

Gambaryan, his company, Binance Holdings Limited and a fellow top executive currently on the run, Nadeem Anjarwalla, were charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, with money laundering and terrorism financing .

Details shortly….

News

Malnutrition: UNICEF Introduces Liquid Supplement To Enhance Child Nutrient

Published

2 hours ago

May 17, 2024

Editor

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has introduced a liquid base supplement to enhance a child’s nutrient diet in order to wage war against malnutrition in Nigeria.

Mrs Philomena Irene, UNICEF’s Nutrition Specialist, Bauchi Field Office, stated this in Gombe on Thursday during a two-day media dialogue on Age-Appropriate Complementary Feeding for Children Aged 6-23 months.

According to her, the intervention was being carried out by the Progressive Action on Resilient System Through Innovation and Partnership (PARSNIP) project of UNICEF.

She however, explained that the project was being implemented in Dukku, Kaltungo and Kwame Local Government Areas of Gombe state.

She said the project basically focused on enhancing young children’s nutrient diet with the liquid base supplements, adding that the commodity is nutrient rich and has both protein, energy, 15 minerals and vitamins.

“It’s for children under the age of 6 to 23 months by adding it to their food. It was formulated for children living in severe food poverty.

“It has shown that these children living in severe food poverty can’t even have a meal in a day that is rich with five food groups which is the minimum.

“The idea is, if you give them one of the sachets of this commodity, they have taken one meal a day that is nutrient dense which contains 100 to 120 calories a day.

“It has protein, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins,” she said.

The UNICEF Nutrition Specialist also explained that under the project, UNICEF also helps the states to create an enabling environment, health system strengthening and improving diet and practices.

News

Rivers Crisis: Fubara Mocks Wike, Says ‘We’ve Defeated Our Enemies’

Published

3 hours ago

May 17, 2024

Editor

The Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, declared on Thursday that his battles were over as he had defeated his opponents, who are not sleeping with their two eyes open.

He said he had turned the tide against his opponents, noting that he was still in office about to mark his first anniversary, contrary to the plan by his detractors.

Fubara spoke on Thursday amid the ranging feud between him and his predecessor and estranged political godfather, Nyesom Wike.

Last October, Fubara survived an impeachment plot by members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Wike.

As of Wednesday, nine members of his cabinet loyal to Wike had tendered their resignation and exited.

Addressing the national and state leadership of the Ijaw Youth Council on Thursday at the Government House in Port Harcourt, Fubara said he appreciated their support and the assurance that they were with him but said, “there is nothing to call on you for because we have already defeated them.”

According to The PUNCH, the IYC leadership was on a solidarity walk to the Government House in Port Harcourt, to celebrate the Isaac Adaka Boro Day.

The solidarity walk was part of activities to celebrate the heroic exploits of the late Major Isaac Adaka Boro, 56 years after his death, which is observed on May 16, every year.

Boro, it will be recalled, formed the Niger Delta Volunteer Force, an armed militia with members consisting mainly of his fellow Ijaw ethnic group who declared the Niger Delta Republic on February 23, 1966, and fought with federal forces for 12 days before they were defeated.

After he was granted amnesty, he enlisted and was commissioned as a Major in the Nigerian Army, fought on the side of the Federal Government during the civil war but was killed under mysterious circumstances in active service in 1968 at Ogu (near Okrika) in Rivers State on May 9, 1968.

Speaking with the Ijaw youths, Fubara acknowledged the assurances of brotherly support from the council and urged the Ijaw Nation to key into the ongoing celebration of the liberation the state now enjoyed.

“I am happy that you’ve told me this morning that when I call on you, you will respond. But there is nothing to call on you for because we have already defeated them.

“By the special grace of God, what they thought that they would have done to us while we were celebrating our one year in office, they are the ones sleeping with their two eyes open. It shows that we have the Ijaw blood. And what is that blood: it is the blood of action; less talk, more action,” Fubara said.

Fubara noted that Boro genuinely stood for equity, justice, and fair play, and pursued his course to ensure liberation for the Ijaw people and their clans.

He described every genuine Rivers man as a liberator, adding that he was delighted to receive them on such auspicious day to re-enact the common purpose of liberation that they shared.

“Because he (Isaac Boro) stood for that unique thing, even after his death, we still celebrate him because he was a liberator.

“Every Rivers man, it doesn’t matter whether you are Ijaw or upland, the most important thing is that every genuine Rivers man must be a liberator.

“And I’m happy that you have come here today. I have also received you because we have one common purpose: to liberate our dear state. We are not going back on that.”

The governor thanked the crowd for their assurances of being available to respond to his call and stand by him and appealed to Ijaw youths to conduct themselves peacefully as they celebrate Major Isaac Adaka Boro Day.

He stressed that it should be done in the same spirit that had enveloped the state now, celebrating victory over his political detractors.

In his speech, the National President of IYC, Mr Jonathan Lokpobiri, described the day as historic, because Ijaw people were meeting with their governor on Major Isaac Adaka Boro Day of Memorial.

He warned all detractors to retrace their steps and allow the governor, who had the full mandate of the people, to discharge his duties to Rivers people.

He commended Fubara for his courage, bravery and commitment to good governance, insisting that his struggle and triumph resonated with the hope of all Ijaw people.

Also speaking, the Chairman of IYC, Eastern Zone, Mr Tamuno Kpokpo, said the visit was not to signify an ethnic war, but to lend support in the protection of the interest and continuous development of Rivers State.

Kpokpo said the IYC would stand to resist anybody or group of persons anywhere who dared to cause any distraction of governance in the state.

PUNCH