*Lokoja* — The Centre for Peace, Democracy and Development (CPDD) has branded Murtala Ajaka’s apology to ex-Governor Yahaya Bello as “political suicide” and a “traitorous betrayal” of Kogi people who lost lives and property backing his 2023 governorship bid.
In a statement Monday, CPDD President Dan Alpheus Adejoh said Ajaka’s plea for reconciliation exposed “a man driven by ambition and survival, not conviction,” accusing him of trading collective sacrifice for personal relevance ahead of the APC primaries.
Adejoh stated that Ajaka’s 2023 governorship ambition inspired hope among thousands of Kogi Easterners and Kogites in general seeking change, however, his apology to his tormentor Yahaya Bello, further reveals a man driven not by conviction or ideology, but by ambition and survival.
According to him, the mask has fallen as his plea for forgiveness and reconciliation with Bello was not humility but a calculated move to salvage relevance.
He added that the reversal comes at enormous cost to supporters who invested lives, resources, and reputations in his project, who felt abandoned and betrayed.
In his words “Sacrifices were made in Ajaka’s name. The lives lost, properties destroyed, and dreams broken cannot be erased by speeches. To trivialize these sacrifices in pursuit of political accommodation is a profound betrayal of trust.
“Leadership demands courage, principle, and accountability. Ajaka’s actions raise serious doubts about his integrity and capacity to lead. His journey appears never to have been about the people of Kogi State, but about personal ambition.
“We urge citizens not to be deceived by last-minute repositioning disguised as reconciliation. Kogi deserves leaders with vision and consistency, not opportunists who trade collective sacrifice for personal gain.
“Ajaka’s choices have revealed a truth many supporters struggled to confront: his ambition was never about the people. History teaches that true democratic struggle succeeds through integrity, accountability, and fidelity to the people” He kicked
He said, to this end CPDD calls on all well-meaning Kogites to remain vigilant, politically conscious, and committed to genuine leadership. Collective sacrifice must never be exchanged for personal survival.
