*Says he can’t compromise peoples mandate
By our correspondent
The Gubernatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 governorship election in Kogi state, Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka has described reports that he has withdrawn the case seeking to reclaim his mandate from Governor Usman Ododo as fake and a calculated attempt to mislead the public.
Alhaji Ajaka in a statement personally signed by him on Sunday said “I want to address the false information being circulated by the government of Usman Ododo in Kogi and its controller, Yahaya Bello, claiming that I have agreed to give up the legal battle to reclaim our stolen mandate.”
According to him, “It is important to clarify that I have never had any discussions, either personally or through a representative, with them to abandon this important fight.
“I am fully committed to pursuing the legal battle to regain the mandate that was freely given to us by the people of Kogi State.
“It would be a massive betrayal of our shared struggle, the impoverished workers, retirees, and the people of Kogi State, as well as the memory of our comrades who were unlawfully killed by these same individuals, for me to even consider having any discussions with them to compromise this historic struggle.
“This fight is not just for me, but for the impoverished, terrorized, and dehumanized people of Kogi State, and for the families of those who were killed, injured, and forcibly disappeared by Fugitive Yahaya Bello and his group.
“As you may be aware, our sagacious legal team has since filed thirty-two strong, compelling and arguable grounds of appeal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, well within the stipulated time.
“We have followed all the necessary legal procedures to ensure that our appeal is heard and determined within the given timeframe, and I am confident that we will be successful.
“I appreciate the support, commitment, and patience of all our supporters and partners in this endeavor to rescue our state from the fraudulent actions of fugitive Bello and his associates.”
