From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The Gombe Democracy and Peace Assembly (GODEPA) has called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to investigate and sanction the Governor of Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya, over alleged inciting comments in viral videos and audio clips.
The political group expressed confidence that “Nigeria’s no-nonsense IGP would do the needful and reverse the current narrative that Gombe is fast turning into a domain of unbridled political thuggery, violence and arson.”
Chairman of the group Mu’azu Bappa, who made the call in a media statement on Friday in Kaduna, said “it was worrisome that the Governor at a recent rally in Gombe openly asked party faithfuls to consider the 2023 election as a fight in which enemies should all be crushed.
“Our deep concern over the video and another viral audio in which the Governor was threatening civil servants over their 2023 electoral choices. This is quite unacceptable because democracy respects the rights of choice by the electorate.”
The group also frowned at what it described as “a highly-disturbing case of open intimidation of royal fathers of Gombe State, over the forthcoming 2023 general elections,” adding that “the threat of deposing Emirs over the elections was a smear on decorum and antithetical to democracy.
“Gombe cannot afford any form of violence in 2023, emanating from political, inciting, incendiary comments by persons who should set an example for tolerance and harmony,” the statement read.