Thugs allegedly said to be members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has burnt down the Kogi State secretariat of the Social Democratic Party in Lokoja.
The secretariat is located directly opposite the Lokoja Local Government Area secretariat on Ibrahim Babangida Way.
According to a video made by the SDP governorship candidate in the state, Mrs. Natasha Hadiza Apoti from the scene of the scene, the attacks were carried first on Sunday and again in the early hours of Monday
She said the SDP office was earlier attacked on Sunday where windows and doors of the secretariat were shattered, while banners, posters and other campaign materials at the secretariat were destroyed and replaced with the posters of the candidate of the APC, Governor Yahaya Bello.
It was however, noted that Bello’s supporters became angry when SDP supporters were chanting abusive words against the governor on his way to Abuja on Sunday afternoon.
They were said to have mobilised in the early hours of Monday, set fire to the secretariat and razed it.
Mrs Akpoti, pointedly accused Bello of being behind the attack, saying he was not fit to stand for the election. He accused the police of supporting the attacks saying they were loaded with pump action and machine guns. She further said the police provided cover for the thugs for over two hours while the perpetrated the carnage.
“This is not an election, but outright brigandage. Yahaya Bello is calling out for war. This is the handiwork of Bello in collaboration with the Commissioner of Police. This is not acceptable.
“Is the APC national secretariat watching? What is Oshiomhole doing? What is El-Rufai doing? We met in Russia last week and he told me he would be supporting Bello’s re-election. Is this what you are supporting?” She said.
However, the Director General, Media and Publicity to the governor, Kingsley Fanwo, said Akpoti should deal with her issues and leave the governor out of her travails.
Fanwo said, “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.”
The state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Busari, in a telephone conversation with The Punch, said it was “absurd” for anyone to accuse the police of “perpetrating atrocities such as this.”
Busari added, “We are security agents with the responsibility to ensure peaceful election. We got wind of the incident and have ordered investigation into the immediate and remote cause of the ugly incident.”
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