Few days to the Kogi Governorship election, some suspected political thugs on Monday morning at about 2 am burnt down the secretariat of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) located in Lokoja, Kogi State.
It was reliably gathered that the SDP office was earlier attacked on Sunday while windows and doors of the Secretariat were shattered and banners, posters and other campaign materials at the Secretariat were destroyed and replaced with the posters of the candidate of APC, governor Yahaya Bello.
However, the party governorship candidate, Barrister Natasha Akpoti, who visited the office on Monday morning, alleged that there were plans by Governor Yahaya Bello to attack her convoy adding that the unfolding event has affirmed the allegation.
She noted that her state secretariat in Lokoja was allegedly attacked by some gunmen suspected to be supporters of the All Progressive Congress (APC), burning down the building.
“Is this how we are going to sit down and watch the illegality of APC in Kogi State. They invaded our party secretariat with arms, shooting sporadically and destroyed everything and then burnt down the property just because of election?
“Am calling on the President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, the governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Nasiru El’Rufai to call governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello to order. Why are they supporting illegality in Kogi State.
“Kogi State belong to every Kogi citizens, I see no reason why Bello should think that he can use violence to achieve his aims, We will not allow that. The people of Kogi have spoken,” she said.
Also speaking, the state Chairman of the party, Alhaji Muktar Atimah condemned in strong terms, the burning of the party secretariat by some hoodlums.
According to him, what happened has brought big setback to democracy adding that those behind the crime must be arrested and brought to book.
Meanwhile responding to the allegations, the Director-General Media and Publicity to the governor, Mr Kingsly Fanwo said Natasha Akpoti should deal with her issues and leave the Governor out of her travails.
“She is always out for unmerited sympathy. The Governor is against violence and has already told security agents to ensure the governorship election is peaceful.
“He can never be behind that,” he stated.
The Kogi Police Command also reacting on the attack, the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Busari said it is absurd for anyone to accuse the police who are security agents of perpetrating atrocities such as this.
“We are security agent with the responsibility to ensure peaceful election, we got wind of the incident and have ordered investigation into immediate and remote caused of the ugly incident.” The commissioner added.