Politics

Kogi guber: APC, SDP trade words over attack on INEC REC

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi have traded words over attack on the residence of the State Resident Electoral Commissioner in the early hours of Friday.

The Director of Media and Publicity/Spokesperson for the Campaign Council, Kingsley Fanwo, who spoke at an emergency press briefing accused the opposition party of sponsoring the attack.

“The same arsonists also had an attempt to burn down the Kogi State Government House foiled by our eagle-eye security agents. The same attempt was foiled at the State APC Secretariat in Lokoja,” he alleged.

The APC Campaign Council said the attack was perpetrated days after it alerted the nation of the plans of suspected thugs to attack INEC, adding that “they have finally done their worst by attacking the residence of the Kogi State INEC Commissioner, engaging security agents in a fierce gun battle and eventually burning down some vehicles in the residence and in the area.”

In a swift reaction, the SDP alleged that the attack was masterminded by the ruling party.

Director of New Media Muri/Sam Campaign Council/SDP, Isaiah Davies Ijele in a statement issued on Friday said election should not be treated as a war, nor should it be a matter of life and death.

“If the election was won fairly and transparently, then the legal process should be allowed to run its course without interference. However, it is unacceptable for thugs, in their high numbers yesterday, to be subject to fake protests, insisting that, on no account forensic teams be allowed to do their jobs.

“We are grateful for the timely intervention of the Army, as the man and his family could have been wiped out overnight. The attackers also burnt his vehicles and took other valuables. This kind of behavior is not acceptable in a democratic society.”

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