Gombe Coalition decries incessant political violence ahead 2023

Comrade Muhammad Ibrahim,CNG Coordinator, Gombe State
By Akanji Alowolodu, Gombe 

Gombe State chapter of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has raised a red flag that the spate of political violence among politicians and their political groups in the State could spell doom for the 2023 elections if left unchecked now before politicking hots up.

Gombe State Coordinator of the group, Comrade Muhammad Ibrahim expressed the concerns of the group in a statement shared to Journalists in Gombe on Wednesday calling for patriotism from political actors and their followers.

The coalition noted with utter dismay the seeming consistency in the occurrence of political violence which has so far claimed many lives while many properties have been destroyed in the process.

It stated instances still fresh in the minds of the people of the State was the clash in November, 2021, between two political factions in Gombe town that resulted in the loss of lives and properties.

According to the Group, "We want to note that those who were casualties in the incident were 100% youths. Again, this year on 22nd January, 2022, a similar incident happened in Funakaye Local Government Area where there was an attack that resulted in the destruction of properties between two major political parties in the State, that is, the APC and PDP".

The Coalition however condemned the act and its perpetrators stating that, " we also want to call on the Government, the security agencies and all stakeholders to bring to an end these consistent political violence that is gradually ravaging the State at the moment" .

The statement also reads, "we wish to call on the youths of Gombe State to shun all kinds of political violence and avoid being used by political parties and politicians as political thugs and machineries for political ambition which is more or less selfish and not in anyway to the youth's interest or for the good of the masses".

" Lastly, we want to call on all political parties to adhere to the constitution to be patriotic and to avoid engaging in political violence or use of the youths for their own political ambition ", Muhammad Ibrahim stated.