Ogbeha, Audu clash at Kogi stakeholders meeting

Johnson Babajide,Lokoja - 14.03.2008

The stakeholders meeting organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lokoja, Kogi State, on Thursday was stalemated following a verbal attack on each other by the former state governor, Prince Abubakar Audu, and Senator Tunde Ogbeha.

Abubakar was there as the candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) while Ogbeha represented the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The meeting was going on smoothly until some youths began to boo Senator Ogbeha when he was recognised and offered the microphone to introduce himself and make suggestions on how to achieve the free, fair and peaceful governorship election.

Ogbeha, in his contribution, denied all the allegations made against his party that it was grooming thugs and firing guns at campaign rallies.

He, instead, accused the opposition of promoting thuggery and asked the former governor to help smoothen his passage at the entrance of the state INEC office after the meeting, recalling how he was molested by the thugs while coming in.

Apparently angered by the statement, the former governor said he wondered how a man who rose to become a general in the Nigeria Army would be lying in public. Senator Ogbeha stood up and asked the former governor to withdraw the statement.