Kogi East: Group raises alarm over alleged plot to disenfranchise Kogites

As the National Population Census (NPC) prepares to commence its activities, a group under the auspices of Igala Vanguard has raised the alarm over alleged plot to disenfranchise electorates in the Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi.

The group, in a statement signed Monday by Engr Lawrence Akpa, said the differences in the number of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collected must not exceed the sampled population in the area to avoid raising an eyebrow.

“This is why Igala politicians must learn from the past mistakes, while we are unable to divide Dekina into various local government was because of the way we play our local politics without understanding its later implications,” the group warned.

The group alleged that despite the note of warnings of not reducing Igala votes and population, some suspected council leaders in the area are at the forefront engaging in selective distribution of PVCs with the aid of compromised INEC personnel “who have sold their future for peanuts”.

Engr Akpa while handing down the warning said that it is only in Dekina that shady and dirty deals were going on.

He, however, called on Attah of Igala, His Majesty, Mathew Alaji Opaluwa Oguche Akpa 11 and Ogohi Anyigba, Abu Shaibu Okolo to call these unscrupulous elements to order,

“It is a shame that people of royal family has engaged in this bad attitude,” he added.

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The group while warning if the trend is not checked, said they would submit their formal petition against the suspects soon.

“If the trend is not checked, the people of Kogi East and particularly in Dekina Local Government would have succeeded not only in frustrating the use of BVAS introduced by INEC, but disenfranchise the chunk of Igala scattered across the area and Igala land,” Igala Vanguard warned.

He recalled a separate incident in Iyale ward where an indigene Mathias Owete was stabbed in the head by these unscrupulous elements in the area.

“Several incidences occurred across the 14 wards in Dekina Local Government, were people are either chased away from the collection centres or beaten up with INEC staff’s connivance,” he alleged.

He warned INEC and the local government authorities against any attempt to disfranchise the electorates ahead of next month’s general elections.

Akpa, therefore, called on civil society organisations, Non- Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and other international bodies to intervene.