By: Abubakar Suleman
The chairman of the forum of senior special assistant on security to the governor, Alhaji Taufiq Isa has said kogi state government would not mix politics with the covid-19 pandemic inspite of the non- chalant attitude displayed by some overzealous and opposition leaders in kogi west.
Alh. Taufiq made the remarks while reacting to the unwarranted comments of Sen. Dino melaye and Tajudeen Yussuf (A federal lawmaker) who raised false alarm on the alleged victims of covid-19 in kabba- Bunu local government area.
The chairman who stated that the Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello is more concerned about protecting the lives of kogi people amid increasing numbers of covid-19 in the country and the world, noted that despite the false claims from those who calls themselves representative of the people in Kabba- Ijumu, who mounted pressure on NCDC to brand kogi state, especially kabba Bunu local government as covid-19 zone.
” Sen. Dino and Tajudeen Yusuf have branded kogi state as covid-19 state, inspite of all the commendable efforts of the state government who had provided all the medical facilities and equipments for Covid-19 test”,
” The state government has taking measures long before now to prevent the infection of this deadly disease, and will not play politics with the pandemic, he said”.
Hon. Taufiq however reiterated that Gov. Yahaya Bello should not be blamed for the directives given to security agents to lockdown kabba-Bunu, instead there representatives, Dino melaye and Tajudeen who raised the issue that ‘an infected man was found in kabba’ should be highly blamed.
” The kogi state government will not play politics with the pandemic and has since taken measures and drastic action to ensure that covid-19 did not enter kogi state”.
According to him,” those Abuja-based opposition leaders from Okunland are playing politics with coronavirus and the lives of our people, they did not know the implications of raising false alarm on covid-19, our people need to be alive to be able to play or partake in politics, they also need us as leaders to be alive, I’m warning us all, we should not play politics with the lives of our people.
” When the time for politics comes, we will wear the garment of politics and they cannot stand us,he said,kogi belongs to all of us, no one man can dictate the destiny of anybody or that of the state”.
Alhaji Taufiq however called on everyone, especially the stakeholders in kogi west not to play politics with covid-19. Let’s remove politics out of covid-19, he stressed.
He commended the Executive Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello for been proactive in taking such measures to curb the deadly pandemic by the lockdown in kabba-Bunu local government, This occured as result of some opposition leaders like Sen. Dino Melaye and Tajudeen Yusuf who called on the federal government attention to a sick patient who was wrongly alleged to have been affected by covid-19,
He said it was as a result of this pressure on NCDC and federal government that resulted to the lockdown in kabba-Bunu local government area.
The chairman therefore pointed accusing fingers on the two opposition leaders, Sen. Dino Melaye and Tajudeen Yusuf of being behind the pathetic situation of our people, saying they are responsible for raising false alarm alleging the patient as covid-19 victim.
The chairman warned
all stakeholders in Okunland to avoid any sinister moves to place our people in such pitiable situation, we, as leaders would not tolerate such act and warned that nobody should raise false alarm on covid-19,henceforth.
” We should desist from raising false alarm inorder to avoid a re-occurrence of such calamity in other local government areas in Okunland, stressing that it amount to bringing back the efforts of the state government”,he stated.
He therefore call on the people to cooperate with the directive of the state government in order to forstall the continuous peace we enjoy in Okunland.
