Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello on Thursday, took a swipe at northern leaders, accusing them of drawing the region backward instead of advancing its cause.
Speaking when he hosted members of Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation led by former governor of Kano, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, Bello said the region’s leaders which came after the Premier, Sir Ahmadu Bello, failed to build on the legacy he left behind.
Bello also accused the leaders of igniting the embers of discord across ethnic and religious lines which tend to polarise the region with consequent conflicts and even bloodbath.
He noted that despite producing billionaires, the region remained backward because of the failure of such privileged individuals to invest and drive the development fulcrum across the region.
He, therefore, urged northern leaders to imbibe the virtues of Sarduana in order to take the region to the next level of development.
“The late Ahmadu Bello practised equity, fairness, all-inclusive and transparency in governance.
“That was why he recorded tremendous achievements for the northern people during his time as leader of the north.
“Ironically, today lack of sincerity among leaders in the region has become a major problem that hindered the development of the region and the only way to tackle this challenge is when we decided to continually emulate the virtues of the late Sarduana of Sokoto who rejected religion and tribal sentiment,” he said.
He pointed out that his administration has exemplified those virtues of Sarduna in its activities, noting that in “Kogi state, there is no segregation among the ethnic groups in the state”
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau expressed displeasure over the rising cases of rape and other gender-based violence across the country, appealing to state governments to have strong legislations with stiffer punishment for perpetrators of the heinous acts.
He promised that the foundation would continue to play the role of a catalyst for unity, peace and development of the region.
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