Richard Elesho
The Kogi State chapter of the Social Democraric Party, SDP, and the state government have had hot exchanges over allegations of plot to employ below thfme belt tactics ahead of the 11 November Kogi governorship election.
The SDP Campaign Council, in a statement by its Director of New Media, Isaiah David Ijele, stared at the hornet’s nest on Wednesday. He accused Governor Yahaya Bello of plotting to arrest its members for terrorism using thugs and the police.
“According to a reliable source familiar with Governor Yahaya Bello’s alleged plot, he is desperate to salvage his failing administration and intends to frame and arrest key leaders of our party, such as the Director General, Muri/Sam Campaign Council, Sheikh Jibril Ibrahim, the Director General of Youths Mobilization, Hon. Ahmed Attah and other esteemed members of the Muri/Sam Campaign Council.
“In fact, in a bid to execute his plans, he has secured a court order in order to arrest them. We feel it is essential to bring this information to the attention of the general public. We firmly assert that any attempt to detain our leaders will be met with resistance from the citizens of Kogi State, who are eager for a change in governance.
“The source also revealed that an FCT Anti Kidnap team, led by the OC Anti-Kidnapping, FCT Command, and his thugs has been contracted to carry out these deceitful actions.
On this note, we are making an urgent appeal to the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police, and all relevant security agencies to take swift action and prevent Governor Yahaya Bello and his associates from proceeding with these unjust actions. We assert that elections should not be treated as acts of war or matters of life and death.
“We trust that the relevant authorities will intervene and uphold justice in this matter.”
The government fired a prompt response denying the allegations. Kingsley Fanwo, spokesman of the All Progressives Congress, APC Campaign Council described the allegation as attention seeking and concocted to create panic. He called on the security agencies to investigate by inviting the claimants for questioning.
“According to Fanwo: “Terrorism is a very serious national issue that shouldn’t be ordinarily trivialised by any group, no matter how confused. But the SDP would stop at nothing to push their noses in front as serious contenders when they know they stand no chance whatsoever in the forthcoming Governorship Election.
“While we will urge security agencies to invite the fiction authors for questioning and to tender empirical facts to support their claims, we wish to dismiss the allegation as another attention-seeking, unimaginatively concocted lie aimed at creating panic and preemptively covering their satanic plans against the Kogi voters. The SDP and its desperate candidate must also raise dust to keep their access to the pockets of their sponsors alive. We are miles ahead of the known and hideous conspirators.
“We wish to remind the Kogi voters who have resolved to continue and consolidate on the achievements of the past seven years, that the SDP and their co-travellers to a no point will continue their lies, name-dropping and spurious propaganda. All that is needed will be done on November 11 when you will overwhelmingly elect Ahmed Usman Ododo as your next Governor.
“If there are plans to terrorise the Kogi people, security agencies will ensure it is scuttled and we are confident that November 11 will make history as the best election day in the history of our dear Confluence State.
“We call on security agencies to as a matter of necessity, urgency and professionalism, invite those behind the reckless and defenceless allegation to provide proofs. Issues like these are capable of spreading fear if not curtailed immediately. As a Campaign Council, we will continue to preach peace and togetherness as well as abide by the provisions of our laws.”