The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello of sending gunmen to disrupt its primary election in Lokoja.
The National Publicity Secretary of the main opposition party, Kola Ologbondiyan said at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday that the governor had failed in his intention because the attack, which happened in the early hours of Wednesday as collation of the primary election result was going on, had further strengthened the PDP in Kogi state.
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According to him, the gunmen chanted Bello’s slogan as they perpetrated the attack.
He assured that Bello’s tenure as governor has come to an end as he will be beaten in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.
Ologbondiyan affirmed that the attack will not affect the submission of the party’s candidate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) because the process had virtually been concluded before the attack.
The PDP spokesman issued “a stern warning” to Governor Bello and the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the gun attack saying that the resort to violence and bloodletting cannot save the “failed governor and his party, the APC, as the PDP and the people of Kogi state are firm in the irreversible resolve to use every means available in a democracy to confront and vanquish APC’s evil plots ahead of the November governorship election.”
Ologbondiyan added: “It is clear to all that Governor Yahaya Bello has become chaotic in the face of his rejection by the people as well as the soaring popularity of the PDP in Kogi state, and has now resorted to violence in a failed desperate attempt to prevent our party from presenting a candidate for the election.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP had a peaceful, decent, clean, clear, credible and transparent process in the conduct of our primary. Accredited delegates had voted and the balloting had been concluded in a very orderly manner before the vicious attack by the gunmen, who were shouting pro-Bello mantra and accompanied by known APC faces.
“The PDP only has pity for Yahaya Bello and the APC because our processes are still intact and nothing can sway our resolve as well as strong will by the people of Kogi state to kick them out of office in November.
“This is more so as the attack has further united our governorship aspirants, critical stakeholders, leaders and teeming members and supporters across the state for a common front against Yahaya Bello and the APC.
“Indeed, nothing can detract from this, as the attack has further united and bolstered the people of Kogi state to remain behind our party in the decisive struggle and the noble objective to liberate their state from the violent and suppressive forces.
“Our message to Yahaya Bello and the APC is that their days in office are already numbered and that they cannot stay a day beyond the stipulated hand-over date.
“In resorting the violence and forceful occupation, the APC and rejected Governor should have known the people of Kogi state have never in history, bowed in subjugation to anybody no matter the force or intimidation.
“That spirit of resistance to oppression and force has been triggered and we caution the APC to steer clear of the wrath of the people, who have decided to take back their state by voting in the PDP, come November 16.”
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