Murtala Ajaka denies sponsoring Kogi East youths’ INEC protest, dismissing reports linking him to the demonstration over proposed ward creation in Kogi State.
Former Kogi State governorship candidate, Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, has denied any involvement in the protest recently staged by a group of Kogi East youths at the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.
Ajaka, through his Head of Media and Public Communications, Prince Tijani Dauda, said he did not organise, finance, instruct or coordinate the demonstration, describing reports connecting him with the action as false and misleading.
The clarification followed a publication reportedly circulated by a group known as “Igala Vanguard” and attributed to one Engr. Lawrence Ankpa.
The publication was said to have associated Ajaka with the protest over the proposed creation of additional political wards in Kogi State.
According to Ajaka’s media office, there was no authorisation from the former governorship candidate for the protest, nor was he involved in its planning or execution.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka did not authorise, sponsor, direct, commission or coordinate the protest,” the statement said.
The controversy arose after members of the Coalition of Kogi East Youths Association travelled to Abuja on Wednesday and converged on INEC’s headquarters to express their dissatisfaction with the ongoing ward creation process in Kogi State.
The protesters raised concerns over what they considered an imbalance in the proposed distribution of additional political wards among the state’s three senatorial districts.
They argued that Kogi East, which they claimed has the largest population and records significant voter participation, should not be excluded from an exercise that would potentially affect political representation.
The youths reportedly maintained that the exclusion of Kogi East from the proposed expansion was unfair, particularly as Kogi West and Kogi Central were alleged to have been included in the exercise.
Their action was therefore presented as a demand for what they described as equitable political representation and fairness in the allocation of electoral wards.
However, Ajaka’s camp said the decision by citizens to protest their concerns should not automatically be interpreted as an action carried out on behalf of a political figure.
The former governorship candidate, according to the statement, recognises the right of citizens to peacefully assemble and express their views on matters affecting their communities.
His media team stressed that youths from Igala communities did not need the approval or direction of any politician before raising concerns about representation, development or issues they believed affected their future.
The statement consequently questioned why Ajaka should be held responsible for the actions of individuals who independently chose to participate in a public demonstration.
It argued that sharing a common ethnic or political identity does not mean that every action undertaken by members of a particular community is authorised by a politician associated with that community.
The media office also accused unnamed individuals and groups of allegedly hiding behind fictitious associations and pseudo-identities to make damaging claims against Ajaka.
According to the statement, such platforms could be used to circulate allegations without providing sufficient evidence or allowing the individuals being accused an opportunity to respond.
Ajaka’s team described the alleged attempt to link him with the INEC demonstration as part of what it characterised as political manipulation and an effort to create unnecessary controversy around his name.
It warned those allegedly using his name in such publications to desist from what it described as propaganda, blackmail and the manufacture of controversies for political purposes.
Rather than making allegations through platforms whose identities may be unclear, the media office challenged anyone who has evidence against Ajaka to come forward publicly.
It said individuals making such claims should identify themselves and present facts capable of being independently examined and subjected to public scrutiny.
The statement maintained that Ajaka had nothing to hide and would rather have any genuine allegation against him addressed through facts and evidence.
Beyond the protest itself, Ajaka’s media team also used the opportunity to clarify his position regarding INEC and its leadership.
The former governorship candidate was said to hold the Chairman of INEC and the Commission in high regard and to recognise the constitutional responsibilities assigned to the electoral body.
The statement stressed that Ajaka respects the role of INEC in Nigeria’s electoral process and believes the Commission should be allowed to perform its statutory duties without unnecessary interference.
It added that Ajaka remains confident that the electoral body would conduct its affairs with fairness, professionalism and respect for the law.
His position, according to the statement, does not amount to opposition to the right of citizens to demand accountability or raise concerns over electoral issues.
Rather, the clarification was intended to separate Ajaka from a protest he said he neither authorised nor participated in.
The dispute comes against the backdrop of continuing political interest in the structure of electoral representation in Kogi State, where questions surrounding population, voter distribution and the creation of political wards can have implications for future elections.
For the protesters, the issue is one of representation and what they regard as fairness between the senatorial districts.
For Ajaka’s camp, however, the immediate concern is the alleged attempt to attach his name to an activity it says was independently organised by citizens.
The media office therefore urged members of the public to carefully verify reports linking Ajaka to the demonstration before accepting such claims as fact.
It maintained that the activities of independent citizens should not be attributed to a political actor without evidence showing that the individual authorised, funded or coordinated those activities.
Ajaka’s team ultimately called on the public to disregard what it described as the false attribution of the protest to the former governorship candidate.
The statement urged Nigerians, particularly residents and stakeholders in Kogi State, to be properly guided and to distinguish between legitimate civic action by citizens and activities directly sponsored or coordinated by political figures.
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