From left, Ododo, Melaye and Ododo

Richard Elesho

More than three weeks after the 11 November Kogi State Governorship Election, its hangover effects are far from ebbing. Ghost of the poll walks on two legs, especially in Lokoja, the state capital tormenting and denying the city and her residents of their deserved sleep.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC returned Ahmed Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress, APC winner of the election. He polled 446,237 ballots to defeat Murtala Yakubu Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, who polled 259,052 votes. Dino Melaiye of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and his kinsman Leke Abejide of African Democratic Congress, ADC, came distant third and fourth, respectively.

Both Melaiye and Abejide seem to have come to terms with the electoral  verdict. It is, however, not so for the front runners. The battle has since shifted to the Tribunal, where Ajaka is challenging Ododo’s victory and the streets where thugs masquerading as supporters are flexing muscles in what appears to be a mad rush to balance acts of terrorism.

Attack on INEC Commissioner

On Thursday, 30 November, as the capital city went to bed, some none state actors went into work, ushering the people into a most inclement start of a new month. In the wee hours of the first day of December, a gang of yet to be identified gunmen took over the streets around the Government Reserved Area, GRA, dispensing mayhem to the unsuspecting inhabitants. At about 3am that morning, the hoodlums in their numbers attacked the house of Independent National Electoral Commission’s, INEC, boss. A staccato of bullets flew randomly in all directions as security men on the ground put up stiff resistance before they were reinforced.

Bewildered neighbours stayed awake, wondering if the city was at war. When the attackers could no longer stand the superior firepower of the defenders, they abandoned their vehicle and engaged their legs in sprintly activities. But, they stayed long enough to set their Toyota Siena bus ablaze as they sped in the direction of Mount Patti.

It remained unclear what the exact motive of the gunmen was. While some people said it was an assassination attempt, others believe it was a mission to abduct. What remains certain is that they didn’t come as friends and Dr. Hale Gabriel Longpet, the Kogi INEC Commissioner, had, in fact, narrowly survived a night of the long knives.

Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, who doubles as spokesman of the APC Campaign Council, was quick to hang the blame for the attack on Ajaka, accusing him of desperation and violence. At a media briefing on Friday, he called for the arrest and prosecution of Ajaka over the attacks, although without providing any proof of his guilt.

Hooded petition robbers in broadday light:

The gun attack on the resident of the INEC Commissioner was yet an unsolved riddle when another high target attack was reported. On Monday, 4 December, the hoodlums attacked David Mike, Secretary of the Kogi Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.

It is a curious coincidence that the attack came on the same day that a  group, United Front for Democracy in a rare display of meddlesomeness accused the SDP of not filling its petitions at the tribunal within the time frame allowed by the law. While the SDP claimed that the Secretary was in custody of its petition at the time of the attack, the ruling party insisted that the opposition stage-managed the attack to cover for the alleged lapse.

The state police command set the record straight on the attack. William Aya, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, confirmed that the attack was not only incidented but that petitions and other vital documents were, in fact, carted away by the gunmen in brooad day light.Aya, in a statement provides clear details of the attack:

Listen to him: “On Monday 04/12/2023 at about 1820hrs one Mr David Umar Mike ‘m’ Secretary to Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal along with Labode Apreala (f) Confidential Secretary and Hassimu Adamu Assistant Secretary, came to State Criminal Investigation Department, Kogi State Police Headquarters and reported that on the said date three of them left their Hotel rooms in Lokoja about 1300hrs heading to their Office at the High Court Complex driving in his (David’s) Peugeot 406 Car.

“That just before the CBN at about 1320hrs one SUV vehicle which had earlier overtaken him blocked his car with two other SUVS following behind. All of them surrounded and blocked him as he attempted to reverse.

“That he saw about seven hooded men all heavily armed and dressed in black attire who shot severally into the air and dragged him and his two other colleagues out of their car, ransacked the car and made away with all the documents including Petitions filed by four (4) Parties namely Action Alliance (AA), Action People’s Party (APP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP), two (2) Record Books, a Bag containing his personal items.

“He claimed to have also reported to the DSS Office. Hence, a thorough and diligent investigation into the incident has been ordered by the Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Command.”

Protests, protests, protests

For about two weeks, Kogi had relapsed to a fresh season of anomies characterised by drama, protests, accusations, and counter accusations. Within this period, protesters of an amorphous hue have taken turns on the streets of the state capital, singing discordant tunes on INEC, the law enforcement agencies, and the tribunal.

On Tuesday, 28 November, hundreds of protesters dressed in attires branded with the logo of the SDP took over the Post Office area and other streets adjoining the INEC’s office. Armed with sticks and placards, they claimed they were not comfortable with the inspection of electoral materials as directed by the tribunal, arguing that INEC and the APC may have compromised them.

Some days before, the tribunal had at its maiden sitting granted SDP’s request for inspection and forensic examination of the sensitive materials used for the election. The party’s legal team were therefore, in INEC’s office that Tuesday morning in furtherance of the tribunal’s directive.

Both parties denied ownership of the protesters. The SDP, which had earlier alerted the public that the ruling party was plotting to burn down INEC Office, was more vociferous in its denial. In a statement, its Director of Communication, Faruk Adejoh-Audu, described the protest as an insurrection sponsored by the state.

He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to “immediately order the quelling of this rented insurrection to safeguard our fragile democracy. If this extreme criminality by Mr Bello and his security chiefs collaborators is not quelled and allowed to prevail, then a very dangerous precedent would have been set.”

Indeed, it took the deployment of soldiers from the Army Brigade in the city to quell the riots. Thereafter, soldiers were constantly on guard of the INEC office. They also blocked the Post Office area and adjoining streets with armoured vehicles, diverting traffic in those places. Lokoja has since worn the aspect of a city no longer at ease.

The following day, some women also gathered in protest around Lugard House, the Kogi seat of power. The APC Youth Coalition took their turn on Thursday, 30 November, to also stage a counter protest to condemn what it termed, “intimidation, blackmail and harassment of INEC officials and security agents in the course of their respective official duties.”

For days, the protest industry boomed in Lokoja. It was gathered that the participants were drawn mainly from Kogi State Polytechnic, KSP, and Kogi State University, KSU. They normally converge at Youth House, Lokongoma, from where they would be dispersed to the point of protest. Payment ranged from N2,000 to N5,000 each, per protest.

Applause, query to traditional rulers

Thank you, visits, and victory parties by individuals and groups have also been on the rise since the tesults of the election was announced. Such events are popular in the Central and West, where the ruling party recorded commanding votes.

Traditional institutions are also facing the reality of the unconluded kogi guber poll. Some traditional rulers, notably the Obaro of Kabba, His Royal Majesty, Oba Solomon Owoniyi, and the Ohi of Adavi, His Royal Highness Muhammed Ireyi Bello have been patted on the back for playing fatherly (partisan) roles during the election.

Others may also have been censored. For instance, the state government issued a query to the Ohimege-Igu Kotonkarffe Alh. Abdulrasaq Gambo Isa Koto, on his alleged roles during the campaigns. Dated 22 November and signed by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Barrister Salami Ozigi Deedat, the letter accused the royal father of playing partisan politics and roles that endangered the security of his domain leading to the murder of a young lady during a campaign.

“It has come to the notice of the State Government that you deliberately engaged yourself in a partisan role in the just conducted Gubernatorial Election in Kogi State…

“In view of the above, you are hereby requested to forward a written explanation within 48 hours why disciplinary action should not be taken against you. Oral explanations may also be required from you when the State Government sets up a panel to examine your case.”

End notes

The off-season gubernatorial elections were held concurrently in three states, namely Kogi, Anambra, and Imo, on Saturday, 11 November. With the conduct of the polls, the two other states have since returned to relatively peaceful default modes.

For politicians in the other states, the election was a sprint. In Kogi, it has turned out to be a marathon. The end may not be in sight yet. In the meantime, governor-elect Ododo has been busy rehearsing for his 27 January inauguration. That day, a new sheriff will come to Kogi.

Willy-nilly.