Politics
Attack on Kogi SDP guber Candidate: SDP campaign council urges President Tinubu to call Bello to order
***Kingsley Fanwo, alleges attack on Bello’s convoy
The Alhaji Muritala Yakubu campaign organization has appealed to the new President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to demonstrate that his administration will not permit brigandage and totalitarianism by calling the Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to order.
Director of Communication of the organization Faruk Adejoh-Audu alleged that the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Alhaji Muritala Yakubu Ajaka on Saturday afternoon escaped assassination when his motorcade was attacked by gunmen personally led by the Governor of Kogi State Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
He said, election is still five months away, but if Mr Bello does not get a strong signal that violence would not be allowed in the new Tinubu administration several of Kogi citizens will be killed by his thugs and gunmen before the polls.
This was coming just as the Kogi Government also claimed that the convoy of Gov. Yahaya Bello was attacked by gunmen, along the Abuja-Lokoja highway.
The Kogi Commissioner for Information, Mr Kingsley Fanwo who made the disclosure in a statement in Lokoja said the attack took place near a Naval Base, few kilometers away from Lokoja, the state capital.
Adejoh-Audu had claimed that Alhaji Ajaka and some vehicles accompanying him were approaching Lokoja at the vicinity of the ram market at about 300pm when two powerbikes and Toyota Hilux overtook his car and forced it to a stop.
The assault he said was heralded by a Mercrdes Benz Limousine with Bellos official crest accompanied by an open pick-up van loaded with masked and hooded men bearing AK 47 Assault Rifles.
“The men jumped down and began shooting at Ajaka’s car and all other cars in the motorcade. They shot for over 5 minutes at Ajaka’s bullet proof car unprovoked.
“All this were happening while Bello’s car was parked a few meters in front and was used to barricade the road while the gun men had a field day.
“When they ceased, Ajaka’s car, a Lexus SUV though a bullet proof was totally damaged and demobilised.
The Director explained further that among the gunmen is one Friday Makama a notorious thug and a former member of the House of Assembly who recently appointed Director General for Fireams Recovery by Mr Bello. Also identified among the hoodlums accompanying the governor is one Bashir Gegu the commissioner for Solid Minerals who has a gross reputation for thuggery.
According to him, Ajaka who was on his way to keep an appointment with the Mai Geri, The first class traditional ruler of Lokoja and The Attah Igala in Idah decided to abort the journey and return to Abuja after conferring with the Commander of the Lokoja Naval Base.
This again he said is another low scored by Mr Yahaya Bello in the exercise of crude power and brute force.
“Bello is on record to have unleashed guns and gunmen on several citizens in the course of his Eight years draconian rule. Several persons have been killed by his hoodlums during electioneering while others are missing .
“Ajaka until recently was a member of the APC who was forced out of the governorship nomination by Mr Yahaya Bello who used minions and proxies to obtain an injunction from a Lokoja High Court restraining him from participating in the primaries.
“The brute action today is obviously in a continuation of Bello’s desperation to stop Yakubu from continuing in the election.
Continuing, Fanwo alleged that the gunmen were political thugs of an opposition political party in the state, the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The commissioner said the incident which occured at about 12.30 p.m., left several people including security aides injured and taken to the hospital for medical attention.
“The gunmen suspected to be political thugs of the SDP, having sighted the convoy of Bello approaching, blocked the road and started shooting at the convoy.
“A Tundra branded with the logo and flags of the party also blocked the governor’s vehicle and the occupants were armed with rifles and short guns. .
“But thank God our governor left the scene unscathed and there is no cause for panic.
“Some security aides and other aides attached to the governor sustained some degrees of injuries and have been rushed to medical facilities for attention.
“We urge the people of Kogi to remain calm as security agents are in full control to ensure the arrest of the hoodlums behind the attack, ” he said.
Fanwo said the state government would not allow any breakdown of law and order but would do all it could to bring the attackers to justice.
According to him, the governor has warned that no APC member should get involved in any reprisal attack as insecurity from any quarter will be met with stiff penalties.
A Media Aide to the SDP Governorship Candidate, Mr Kunle Afolayo, denied the allegations saying: “it was the other way round because it was his political thugs that attacked us.”
“Is it possible for an opposition political party to attack a governor just like that?
“We were on our way to the Palace of Maigari in Lokoja from Koton Karfe this afternoon, when the governor’s convoy, heading to Lokoja from Abuja, met us on the way and launched an attack on us just like that.
“God knows the truth. It’s unfortunate that APC administration in Kogi is using government might against us and to lie against us for a crime they committed against us, ” the media aide said .
***Obi says he did not endorse any leadership, as LP counters him
The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party(LP) in the 2023 General election Peter Obi may be embarking on a collision course with the party over his motif for the visit to the secretariat of the party on Tuesday along with his supporters.
Apparently piqued by how his visit was portrayed to be an endorsement of the Julius Abure-led leadership, Obi on Wednesday morning clarified that his visit to the Party’s secretariat on Tuesday was not to endorse the leadership but to engender reconciliation.
A statement by Peter Obi Media Relations (POMR) spokesperson Dr Yunusa Tanko indicated that the visit was more of reconciliation not an endorsement of any leadership as it was being portrayed.
In a swift reaction, the LP national publicity Secretary Obiorah Ifoh in a counter statement described Obi’s new statement as a twist of the well intentioned visit of the Labour Party’s presidential candidate to the leadership of the party.
He said Obi and Abure are on the same page over reconciliation in LP as he warned against any attempt to twist well intentioned visit.
Obi’s spokesperson statement reads,
“Obi’s visit to Labour Party yesterday was not to endorse anybody, but occassioned by his reconcilliatory move. Julius Abure in his speech stated clearly how Obi came to the office, and Obi in his speech clarified same, while preaching peace, and his mantra ‘pursuit of better Nigeria for the poor’
“Leadership of NLC/TUC Political Arm Commorades Titus Amba and Chris Uyot who were informed of Obi travelling out today, hence will honour thier invitation, also met with him, and extensively discussed same peace move with them.
“Obi had repeatedly maintained that his interest was to carry everybody along into one strong family, and not to support one against the other.
“In all his meetings with with all stakeholders, he has always maintained peace, and urge not to lose purpose which is to free Nigeria suffering and pain.
“The LP standards bearer plans to continue meeting with critical stakeholders, and groups to achieve all-inclusive political family with a common dream of rescuing Nigeria.
Ifoh statement reads,
“The attention of the leadership of the Labour Party has been called to a statement issued by the spokesperson to our National Leader, Peter Obi titled, ‘Obi visits to LP, Reconciliatory, not endorsement…’ Dr. Tanko Yinusa wherein he tried to twist the well intentioned visit of the Labour Party’s presidential candidate on the leadership of the party.
“As a party we are pleased that our leader has chosen to reconcile all aggrieved members and stakeholders of the party. “This noble step taken by Mr. Obi is in line with the call made by the Labour Party’s National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure during his maiden press conference last week titled ‘Triumphant Resumption of Abure led NWC’ wherein he pleaded with all the warring parties including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to sheath their swords and join in the rebuilding process in the party.
“Peter Obi’s visit and speech on Tuesday during the FCT solidarity rally has been variedly described in some quarters as an endorsement on the Abure leadership being his very first visit after the successful National Convention of the party held in March. But to us as a party we cherish this visit on whatever nomenclature as a positive wind blowing on the party.
“We believe that very soon, the reconciliatory efforts will be consummated and metamorphose into a political force that will usher in a government that will liberate Nigerians from the shackles of maladministration we are presently facing in the country.
“Finally, we urge the NLC and its Political Commission to understand that we are not the foe, and to see us as an ally in the battle to rescue Nigeria.
“They should emulate the Trade Union Congress, (TUC) which has shown greater understanding and willingness to partner with the Labour Party in our efforts to make a new Nigeria possible.”
***Says he is suspending his association with the party
Nollywood actor turned politician, Kenneth Okonkwo, has alleged that the national convention organized by Julius Abure which returned him as Labour Party (LP) national chairman is nothing but criminality and corruption.
He stated this when he announced he was suspending his relationship with the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee of the LP.
According him, a new Nigeria is the priority, adding that he prefers to lose doing the right thing than win doing the wrong thing.
Okonkwo, who was the spokesperson for the Labour Party Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council in the 2023 election, in a post via his verified X account on Tuesday, said the current Abure-led National Working Committee of the Labour Party is another incompetent and corrupt association, just like the All Progressives Congress (APC) he left before.
The post reads: “I am suspending my relationship in all ramifications with the purported Abure-led National Working Committee of Labour Party.
For me, it’s either a new Nigeria or nothing. I prefer to lose doing the right thing than winning doing the wrong thing.
Nothing can wash out the criminality, corruption, and incompetence with which the purported National Convention was purportedly organised by Abure.
I did not leave the comfort of a ruling party APC because I believe that they are incompetent and dishonest only to come and join another incompetent and corrupt association, which is the current Abure led National Working Committee of Labour Party.”
***Party Receives Boost From Aggrieved Aspirants from APC and PDP
The Chairman of Labour Party (LP) Governorship Primaries in Ondo State, Mr Olusola Ayodele has declared the resolve of Party to take back Ondo State in the forthcoming coming Governorship elections of the state billed for November 2024 by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC)
A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, quoted Olusola Ayodele to have made the declaration when he Addressed the Southwest Leadership of the Party on Friday in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
Ayodele who conducted the Ondo State Governorship Primaries of the LP in Akure a fortnight earlier stated that all preparations by the Leadership of the party to win the Ondo Governorship elections have been concluded with the formation of a proposed Southwest Task Force on the Ondo Governorship elections .
According to him, the Task Force being put together comprises key leaders of the party in the Southwest, who have been charged to mobilise a high-powered National Campaign Team of the Party for the Governorship elections to reenact the LP – Mimiko victory and 8 years good governance of Ondo State
He said, “To lead the Ondo National campaign committee is Mr Peter Obi, Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party and Mr Alex Oti, Governor of Abia State. They are to be supported by all LP Senators, Reps Members, State Lawmakers and other key leaders of the Party in the country with formidable solidarity from key members of the Obidient Movement in diaspora.”
While clarifying the rumour about the possibility of the party conducting a substitution primaries for the Governorship candidacy of the party, Ayodele said “this would only happen, if the current governorship candidate of the party decides to withdraw from the race during the substitution window created by INEC and if the National Working Committee, NWC of the Party also finds governorship aspirants who have the required competence and capacity as possible replacement to fly the governorship ticket of a mega party like the Labour Party, especially, a party which has ruled Ondo State for 8 years before”
Ayodele said although some aggrieved frontline governorship aspirants, especially from the APC and PDP are already discussing the possibility of crossing to Labour Party with the Committee, it is only the National Working Committee of the Party that can sanction such discussion before the close of the substitution window of INEC. He however applauded the youths, students and the masses of the people in Ondo State for remaining steadfast with the Party.
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