Leaders
of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kabba, Kogi West Senatorial District,
were on Wednesday attacked by armed political thugs, worsening the security
situation two days to the governorship election in Kogi State.
Prominent
among those
attacked by the hoodlums was Joseph Dada, whose house was riddled
with bullets and cars destroyed.
Others
who were reportedly attacked include Johnson Abejinrin and one Obagbayi, who
are said to be top members of the PDP in Kabba.
Pictures
emanating from the scene show buildings and vehicles riddled with bullets and
shattered glasses.
Reports
across the state show widespread intimidation and attacks of campaign trains of
opposition parties.
PREMIUM
TIMES gathered that some leaders of the opposition political parties have
relocated their families outside the state.
The
reality of the security threat to the election was further highlighted during
Tuesday’s attack of the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Natasha
Akpoti, who in the full glare of police officers and other security agencies,
was attacked and molested by thugs believed to be loyal to the incumbent
governor, Yahaya Bello.
This
was even worrisome that the attack took place at the venue of the INEC’s
stakeholders’ meeting in Lokoja which had in attendance the Inspector of
General of Police and other heads of Nigeria’s security outfit.
Earlier,
the SDP secretariat was razed and valuable documents and properties were
destroyed.
Although
the attacks were not denied, the police are yet to take any person into custody
for the acts.
The
governorship candidate of the Grassroots Development Party of Nigeria (GDPN),
Dele Williams, told PREMIUM TIMES in an interview that his campaign train had
been attacked several times as he toured the state to seek the support of
voters to become the governor of the state.
According
to him, some of leaders of his party have either moved out of the state due to
threats to their lives and their families, or had moved their families away.
“Besides
the harassment during campaigns, I have received threats to my life,” he said.
Mr
Williams also said even though a formal complaint was sent to the Inspector
General of Police and other security agencies, no arrest has been made and the
situation had grown worse.
The All Progressives
Congress (APC) has denied that its members and supporters were involved in the
attacks.
Jubril Abu, the Publicity
Secretary of the APC in Kogi State, told PREMIUM TIMES that the violence could
not be traced to APC supporters because they are law abiding citizens.
Although he did not deny
that there were attacks, he noted that the people should look elsewhere for the
culprits.
The police in Kogi have
vowed to deal with the situation and ensure peace in the state before, during
and after the election, but the feeling of the average Kogi citizen is that the
rigging had started and eligible voters have been successfully scared away from
the ballot on Saturday.
While the PDP leaders are
pointing accusing fingers at the APC in Kabba, for the attack on Mr Joseph on
Wednesday, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, who also represents Kabba/Bunu
State Constituency, said he was not involved in the attacks.
PREMIUM TIMES reliably
gathered that within the PDP, the feeling is that Mr Kolawole masterminded the
attack on the PDP leaders in the state, with a view to intimidate and disrupt
their plans for Saturday.
But in a statement on
Wednesday, the speaker condemned the attack on the PDP leaders in his domain,
saying such acts were “callous” and condemnable.
Mr Kolawole expressed
shock at the ugly incident, saying it had heightened the security situation in
the community.
He charged the security
agencies to swing into action to unravel those behind the act and bring them to
justice.
He also charged
politicians to always remember that politics should be premised on the genuine
desire to serve.
He
offered his cooperation to the security agencies in their bid to bring the
perpetrators to book, pointing out that the issue of security of life and
property is the number one priority of the government.
While
Kogi State is needing an urgent security attention and safety guarantees, the
police in the state are yet to show any signs of the ability to curtail the
political violence that is building up as the time ticks away to the final day.
The
Police Public Relations Officer in Kogi, Williams Aya, was not forthcoming with
efforts made to tackle the deteriorating situation.
He
however said the matters would be addressed soon by other senior police
officers who have been deployed for the elections
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