SDP Kogi State governorship candidate, Alhaji Muritala Alaka
By Our Reporter
The Social Democratic Party (SDP), on Wednesday urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Heads of Security Agencies and the international Community to wade into the politically motivated violence in Kogi state ahead of November 11, 2023 Governorship election in the state
The Party also raised the alarm over alleged desperate plot to assassinate its governorship candidate in the state, Alhaji Muritala Alaka.
Addressing a World Press conference in Abuja, the National Secretary of the Party, Dr Olu Agunloye, accused the outgoing State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello of sponsoring attacks against political opponents. especially the SDP .
While warning of a looming national crisis if the trend is not tamed, Dr Agunloye pleaded with President Tinubu to address the brewing social tension and evolving state of anarchy in Kogi ahead of the All important Governorship poll.
According to him, “after the first assassination attempt on the SDP candidate in June, the party was aware that the Inspector General of Police cautioned Governor Bello
Governor Bello but it seems that is not yielding results”.
“This ugly situation has arisen from the prevailing reign of political terror against opposition parties, particularly the SDP in the State. We are therefore, repeating our call to Mr President for a Special Panel of Enquiry to investigate the ongoing political terrorism, extra judicial killings and threats to democracy and civil liberties in Kogi State.
” This is a request for a definitive call to order for the Kogi State Governor to stop the unwarranted political extremism.
“We have conducted our own independent findings which showed that there are no genuine reasons for the outgoing Governor to hound and harass our Governorship Candidate except that the outgoing Governor Yaya Bello’s Administration has fallen far below the expected standards for good governance and has become jittery.
“All economic and human development indices have shown that Kogi had fallen below expectations in the last eight years under Governor Bello. We shall continue to stand firmly behind Alh Muritala Ajaka and defend his rights to secure and safe campaigns.
“We have formally petitioned the Office of the President, Inspector General of Police, and Service Chiefs including the DSS and are confident that appropriate actions are being taken.
“We are calling on all bastions of democracy and civil liberties including the International Communities in Nigeria to pay attention to the state-sponsored violence, extra judicial killings, and unwarranted repressive measures in Kogi State, and to take necessary actions to prevent social disorder and avoidable loss of lives because of political terrorism.
“This is important because a sub-national political crisis of this nature could snowball to a major national crisis which may affect national stability.
“Finally, we enjoin the Nigerian media to push into the front burner of national discourse by prioritizing major spotlights on the unlawful activities led by State Actors, illegal deployments of State apparatus and quasi-security bodies in Kogi State under the leadership of Governor Yahaya Bello to intimidate the opposition parties. This has, unfortunately, become a megatrend and negative narrative on our democratic culture as a nation.
While speaking in the same vain the Director of Communication of the SDP Governorship Camping Organization, Hon Farouk Adejobi’ alleged that frantic efforts on the top gear to arrest the Party ‘s Candidate Alhaji Muritala Alaka. and framed him with a view to keeping him out of circulation until after the poll.
