The thugs attacked SDP supporters while they were setting up chairs and canopies for the demonstration, destroying other priceless items at the location as well as neighboring cars.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) held a governorship campaign event in Ejule, Ofu local government area, Kogi state, but was attacked and disrupted by armed political thugs.
The state’s All Progressives Congress (APC) members are accused of being the thugs who damaged cars and other items worth millions of naira.
The rally had not yet begun on Wednesday when the gunmen, who were purportedly affiliated with the APC, broke into the St. Matthew’s Primary School location and began firing intermittently, according to sources.
According to reports, the incident sent Murtala Ajaka’s supporters, the SDP candidate, reeling.
It was learned that SDP supporters had just finished setting up chairs and canopies for the demonstration when the thugs attacked them, destroying surrounding cars as well as other priceless items at the location.
In the meantime, Faruk Adejoh-Audu, the director of media and communications for the Muri/Sam Governorship Campaign Council, has charged that the ruling APC is behind the attack.
“To disperse a massive crowd of SDP supporters who had gathered for the event, the gunmen, led by one Mohammed Nasir Alfa, who is allegedly the Assistant State Chairman of the APC (Kogi East District), descended on the rally venue at Ejule and started shooting sporadically,” he added.
He claimed that among the armed individuals, estimated to number in the over thirty range, witnesses recognized certain notorious goons known to be employed by the APC.
The Muri/Sam Campaign Council is aware of Mr. Yahaya Bello’s ongoing threats against senior APC officials, appointees, and aides, threatening to have them face his wrath if an SDP event is permitted to take place in their hometown.
Despite our repeated protests, this shameless and desperate plunge into violence by a sitting governor utilizing his aides and goons has not yet been addressed.
“With just three weeks to the election, Mr. Bello’s eagerness to nominate his cousin—a thoroughly compromised candidate—as his successor is growing,” he claimed.
The campaign council demanded that President Bola Tinubu and the security services act quickly to resolve the crisis in Kogi before it jeopardizes the state’s democracy.
