The Kogi State chapter of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, has alleged an attack on its members and disruption of its campaign rally in Ejule, Ofu Local Government Area by people it identified as thugs loyal to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Spokesman of the campaign council Faruk Adejoh-Audu, who made this known in a statement, said the rally was scattered on Wednesday with sporadic gunshots, making people run helter-skelter for safety.
The party called on the law enforcement agencies to investigate the allegations of regular security breaches at its campaign rallies with a view to providing a level playground for all political parties in the 11 November governorship election. The statement reads in part:
“Several persons were injured in the course of the bedlam while the thugs equally destroyed several vehicles they identify as belonging to SDP supporters.
“This is the second time that an SDP Rally will be attacked by identified aides of Bello leading thugs in less than weeks. A similar attack was unleashed on an SDP rally at Koton Karfe in Kogi LGA of the state on September 29, leading to one death and at least 10 persons sustaining gunshot injuries.
“The Muri/Sam Campaign Council is aware of a standing threat by Mr Yahaya Bello to his aides, appointees and senior APC officials that they will face his wrath if an SDP event is allowed to hold in their home of origin.
“In late June, the Governor had publicly slapped a council Chairman for failing to violently truncate an SDP million March in Idah, the headquarters of the Kogi East and the traditional capital of the Igala People worldwide .
“The election date is barely three weeks away, and the desperation of Governor Yahaya Bello, who is parading his cousin, a thoroughly tainted candidate as his successor is escalating Only yesterday, a Federal High Court Disbanded a gang of thugs Mr Bello tried to legitimize and ordered for the arrest of the kingpin of the gang.
“For the record, we are again calling on the President and Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Inspector General of Police, the Director-General of the Directiorate of State Services and all other Mangers of our security and federation to urgently intervene and address the drift in Kogi State before it fatally undermines our democracy.
“The people of Kogi State deserved to be protected to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed right to Universal Adult Suffrage.
So far, it’s been a harvest of blood and bones and for destruction of property openly orchestrated by Mr Yahaya Bello.