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December 18, 2022
The assailants attacked the PDP supporters in a Toyota Sienna bus and started shooting indiscriminately.
Natasha Akpoti–Uduaghan Campaign Organization has accused thugs allegedly loyal to the All Progressives Congress of attacking its supporters during a ward meeting in the Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi on December 15, 2022.
Akpoti-Uduaghan is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Kogi Central Senatorial District.
A statement issued by the campaign organization said the assailants shot at some of the supporters of Akpoti-Uduaghan.
It said the assailants attacked the PDP supporters in an unbranded Toyota Sienna bus and started shooting indiscriminately.
The statement reads, “Despite calls by concerned citizens to allow peace to reign in Ebiraland and the warning by the Inspector General of Police (Baba Alkali), thugs allegedly working for the Kogi chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) carried out their earlier threats to unleash mayhem on the supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
“The thugs attacked PDP supporters during the ward meeting across Adavi Local Government Area on December 15, 2022.The thugs who attacked the peaceful supporters of the PDP at the ward meetings in an unbranded Toyota Sienna Bus, started shooting sporadically and shot at the supporters of the Kogi Central PDP senatorial candidate, Barr. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan who were at the venue for the weekly ward meeting.
“Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Campaign Organization calls on the Kogi Chapter of APC to allow peace to reign in Kogi Central as tit for tat will only result in catastrophe and bring more suffering to the masses who have been suffering from the APC’s bad governance.
“The campaign organization noted that the attacks on the PDP supporters are clear pointer that the APC has already lost the support of the people at the grassroots because of its poor performance over the years.”
According to the campaign organisation, the attacks are a “desperate attempt by the APC to postpone its humiliating defeat in the 2023 senatorial election in Kogi Central, but this defeat will eventually come because the people are tired of their failed government”.
The campaign organization also called on the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland and other prominent leaders of Kogi Central to caution the leaders of Kogi APC “before they turn Ebiraland into a war zone because of their desperate efforts to force its candidate on the people”.
Last week, the House of Representatives asked the police chief, Alkali to investigate a recent attack on the campaign train of Akpoti–Uduaghan.
The lower chamber urged the police chief to prosecute those directly and remotely responsible for the attack.
Background
The Yahaya Bello-led Kogi government had asked the PDP and others to pay millions of naira before their candidates could be allowed to paste posters or distribute flyers.
In a letter dated October 24 and addressed to the PDP chairman in the state, the government demanded the payment of the funds within 14 days.
However, despite the payment by Akpoti-Uduaghan, her campaign billboards across five local government areas were recently destroyed by hoodlums suspected to be loyal to Governor Bello.
Meanwhile, there has been a clampdown on members of the opposition parties in Kogi State.
SaharaReporters had reported how thugs loyal to Bello recently attacked the campaign flag-off of Akpoti-Uduaghan in the state.
One person was shot while two other persons were macheted before the police repelled the attackers.
Bello had openly threatened to use firepower on members of the opposition political parties in the state ahead of the 2023 general elections.
He also said political opponents in the state that trespasses would never see the sun again, ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Speaking in Ajaokuta after inaugurating a vigilance group in October, Bello said he was standing on the initial threat he made to deal decisively with anyone saying bad things about his administration in the state.
"Be it in the state or the federal level and you think you have connection that you can use here in Kogi, unless it’s not I, Yahaya Bello that’s in charge of this government. I want to reinstate that the ‘Ira Chenyin’ I said the other time is something I mean,” the governor said.
“For that, everyone should caution his or her child and every child should caution their parents. I mean what I said the other time, firepower. Whoever thinks that the firepower I mentioned the other time is a joke, I’m well prepared. Talk is cheap.
“It’s time for elections, all the candidates, all our party flag bearers, from Senate, to Reps, to Assembly, they are not the ones contesting, I, Yahaya is the one contesting. So those contesting against them are contesting against me who have chosen them.”
Earlier Bello threatened members of the opposition political parties, saying he would "show" them.
“Whoever trespasses, if we pick him or her, he will never sight the sun again. In this coming election, I’m going to show the opposition people who is Yahaya Bello. If there is white lion, if there is no white lion, we will know in this one,” Bello said in the video obtained by SaharaReporters.
In another video, he bragged that he could handle a gun better than the people he was addressing, despite not being a security agent.
“If I hear any rumour or hear anybody murmuring, even if it’s in the person’s room and I said I want to see the person and you cannot provide him, then be prepared to be the person’s substitute,” he said.
“That’s why I’m saying it loud and clear for everyone to hear. Not just Ihima, not just about Ebira but the whole of Kogi. Because some of those people who are prepared to do evil, maybe some of them are older than me.
“You cannot hold gun more than me. For that, everyone should receive and disseminate the message. Record and play it for them that I’m ready this time around.”