SDP urges INEC, police to caution Gov Yahaya Bello

Tom Okpe, Abuja

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security agencies to call Alhaji Yahaya Bello to order. The party alleged that its members, especially the Senatorial candidate of the party, Bar Natasha Akpoti has been under duress from the Kogi State Governor urging security agents to pay attention to the ongoing political harassment in the Governor’s Senatorial zone of the state. Kogi state in recent time has witnessed various allegations of political harassment across political parties. The state chapter of SDP, led by its acting chairman Alhaji Mouktar Atimah, at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, called on the Inspector General of Police not only to call the Kogi state governor Yahaya Bello to order but to transfer all cases of harrasment against its party members to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. Atimah said Kogi chapter of APC and the state government frustrated the peace pact organized by the Kogi state Commissioner of Police to broker Peace in the state He said: “We call on INEC and relevant security agencies to monitor Kogi Central election as its recent political harassment and attack are a red flag. We must prevent a reoccurrence of Kogi APC undemocratic practices during election. “We also call on the International Organizations and Civil Society Groups to consider Kogi State by monitoring the February 16th election. Under section 40 of 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria as amended, every citizen enjoys freedom of association, assembly, speech and of course campaign. “APC Kogi boycotted signing of the Peace agreement 24th of December. It was rescheduled for 27th of November, 2018 yet the APC refused to show up for the second time, however, both SDP and PDP present were advised to go about their campaigns in peaceful manners”. SDP stated that on Saturday, 12th of January 2019 SDP Youth Leader in Obeiba Ihima, Okehi LGA, Ojo Enesi, was murdered by a gang of Kogi APC thugs allegedly led by Ojo Inna, among others. “It is on record that we tendered a petition on the 3rd December 2018 to the IG’s office drawing his attention to the violent attacks, perceived intimidation and destruction of properties against our party candidate by the APC thugs sponsored by the party executives and members of Kogi state Government”, he said.