With just six days to the Kogi State governorship election, the state secretariat of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has been burnt down by suspected hoodlums.
According to an eyewitness, the SDP secretariat, which is situated along Ibrahim Babangida Way in Lokoja, the state capital, was set ablaze by suspected hoodlums in the early hours of Monday.
It was learnt that prior to the arson, the party secretariat was attacked on Sunday, with its windows and doors shattered while banners, posters, and other campaign materials were also destroyed.
Natasha Akpoti, the SDP governorship candidate, accused Yahaya Bello, Governor of Kogi State, of being responsible for the incident.
Undertaking a tour of the damaged facility on Monday, Akpoti further alleged that Governor Bello had directed the attack with assistance from the state’s commissioner of police.
She said: “This is not an election, but outright brigandage, this is the handiwork of Bello in collaboration with the commissioner of police, this is not acceptable.
“Is APC national secretariat watching, what is Oshiomole, doing? What is El- Rufai doing, we met in Russia last week and he told me he will be supporting Bello’s reelection, Is this what you are supporting?”
However, Kingsley Fanwo, Director-General, Media, and Publicity to the governor, refuted the claims, saying his principal was against violence and has personally committed to ensuring that Saturday’s poll is violence-free.
Fanwo urged Akpoti to stop accusing the governor, asking her to face her challenges instead.
“She is always out for unmerited sympathy. The Governor is against violence and has already told security agencies to ensure the governorship election is peaceful.
“He can never be behind that,” he said.
Also speaking, Hakeem Busari, the Kogi State police commissioner, described the allegations as absurd.
“We are security agents with the responsibility to ensure a peaceful election, we got wind of the incident and have ordered an investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the ugly incident,” Busari told the Punch.
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