LOKOJA – Sequel to the violence that has characterized the forthcoming Kogi State governorship election, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to call Governor Yahaya Bello, to order.
The party claimed that Governor Bello has been sponsoring thugs to intimidate and silence the opposition, especially its candidate, Muritala Yakubu Ajaka.
National Secretary of the party, Olu Agunloye, told journalists yesterday in Abuja, that the out-going governor has hatched plans to arrest Ajaka over trump-up charges of terrorism and gunrunning.
Agunloye implored the governor to play the role of a statesman and allow a level- playing field rather than hound down on opposition in the manner he is doing.
He said: “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 Yahaya 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, extrajudicial 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.”
