Natasha Akpoti is the candidate for the PDP in the senatorial district.
There was pandemonium during the weekend when hoodlums suspected to be loyal to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and the All Progressives Congress invaded the Peoples Democratic Party Kogi Central Senatorial District campaign rally and attacked the crowd.
Natasha Akpoti is the candidate for the PDP in the senatorial district.
The flag-off campaign train started at Okene and ended at Adavi.
Suddenly, hoodlums who came with guns, sticks and machetes started attacking the crowd, leaving many injured.
The thugs who were said to be working for Governor Bello also shot a PDP supporter before they were repelled by security operatives.
“The rally was going on peacefully till the thugs started shooting. One person was shot in the back as he was trying to escape. He is currently at a hospital receiving treatment,” a source told SaharaReporters.
“We thank God that the police were able to quickly intervene and overpower the thugs. Yahaya Bello is living up to his threat of attacking and killing opponents. He came to Okene to threaten that he will use firepower. We want the police and the presidency to call Yahaya Bello to order," the source added.
The PDP earlier raised the alarm over an alleged conspiracy by the state government led by Bello and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to cause harm to the life, reputation and ambition of its candidates ahead the 2023 elections.
The party had in a letter to the police, army and State Security Services (also known as Department of State Servicies-DSS) alleged that its candidates face undue intimidation and attacks against their persons as well as their close political associates since their emergence.
PDP added that it had uncovered plans by the ruling party to plant guns, ammunition and other incriminating weapons to be used to intimate members of the opposition.
In a video recently used by SahahaReporters, Bello threatened to attack political opponents in the state, vowing that anyone that goes against him will be sent to their mother’s grave.
In another video, the governor said he would make use of firepower to silence opponents in the state who contest the elections, noting that he would ensure the APC wins every post in the forthcoming election.