The Social Democratic Party (SDP) is accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of bringing in thugs from Jigawa and Nasarawa states to cause trouble in Kogi before the governorship election on November 11.
Faruk Adejo-Audu, the Director of Communications for the Muritala Yakubu Ajaka Gubernatorial Campaign Organisation, spoke at a press conference in Lokoja on Tuesday. He expressed concern that the APC is already intimidating voters before the election.
Audu also mentioned that many SDP supporters have been attacked throughout the state. The party has lost confidence in the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Berthrand Onuoha, believing that he will not be fair during the upcoming election.
The SDP representative stated, “The APC has brought in military equipment and thugs from Jigawa and Toto in Nasarawa State to create chaos in Kogi.”
He also mentioned a unique situation in Kogi State where two governorship candidates, Leke Abejide and Muri Ajaka, had to obtain a court order to allow them to campaign. They did this because they feared being arrested by the APC-led government and facing charges in court.
The SDP wants the world to know that Governor Bello has released 21 convicts who were sentenced for various electoral offenses. They believe that whenever an election is approaching under Bello’s government, there is always fear and apprehension.
They questioned why Kogi is under Bello’s leadership when elections bring fear and apprehension.
Alhaji Hassan Yakubu Enape, the Chairman of the Muri/Sam campaign in Kogi East, also spoke at the press briefing. He criticized the Kogi State Police Command for claiming to be unaware of the SDP rally in Koton Karfe, which resulted in the death of a party supporter.
