Kogi Election: Parties Go To War - Two Killed - It’s A Difficult Task - INEC

Idowu Samuel, Niyi Adebimpe, Johnson Babajide & Ayodele Adesanmi - 29.03.2008

THE much-touted fresh election for the coveted governorship seat of Kogi state holds today, just as political parties and their loyalists have expressed resolve to hold one another by the jugular to ensure the emergence of their candidates at the polls.

Already, two people were reported to have been allegedly killed by the securitymen deployed to Ayangba on Thursday night. This, it was learnt, led to face-off between the people and the securitymen, which led to the deployment of two armoured tanks to the area.

Over the past few weeks, the state had played host to different stakeholders, holding meetings in order to strategise on how to ensure a free and fair election, while reports of politicians alleging plans by their opponents to engage in rigging, violence and other electoral malpractices in order to ensure that the result of the polls favour their candidates have been reported.

The two major political gladiators in the state, former Governor Ibrahim Idris and Prince Abubakar Audu, contesting on the tickets of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), have seemingly renewed their age-long battle of wits judging by the activities of their supporters who engage in violence.

In order to ensure that the ruling PDP is given a good run for its money at the polls, the ANPP and the Action Congress (AC) have resolved to form a coalition and present a joint candidate in Prince Audu Abubakar at the polls.

To douse the tension which reports of planned violence and importation of arms and ammunition might cause at the fresh governorship polls in the state today, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mike Okiro, had earlier held a meeting with Prince Audu and Alhaji Idris, where an undertaking was reportedly signed that their loyalists would ensure a peaceful poll.

Also, apart from the deployment of 4,000 policemen to the state, a detachment of soldiers have also been commissioned to provide security.

Checks by the Saturday Tribune revealed that the age-long hostility between the ruling PDP and ANPP, appears to have sent dangerous signals to the teeming electorate in the state, some of whom have resolved to stay indoors.

But the ANPP raised the latest dust over the fresh election when one of the aides of its governorship candidate disclosed to the Saturday Tribune that the PDP had allegedly issued police vigilante identification cards to many of its thugs in some local government areas within the state.

The issue of the police vigilante cards to the thugs, the aide who spoke on strict conditions of anonymity further alleged, was to ensure the arrest and torture of political opponents as well as loyalists of political parties other than the PDP.

The aide also disclosed that PDP thugs, who mounted road blocks arbitrarily, had allegedly been terrorising indigenes and residents of the affected local governments – including Dekina, whose headquarters is Ayangba.

It will be recalled that Ayangba had played host to the duo of former Governor Ibrahim Idris and Prince Audu before the Appeal Court ruling where, during a socio-cultural festival, the latter had alleged assassination attempt on his life.

The ANPP staunch supporter further disclosed that in the course of mounting what he described as illegal road blocks, the PDP miscreants allegedly shot a young man.

The man, simply identified as Ashante, was said to have been rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, where he was currently receiving treatment.
He added that the normal practice of the PDP miscreants as regards opponents arrested was to take them to the state capital, Lokoja, where they would be detained and tortured.

Reacting to the allegations, however, the Chief Press Secretary to former governor Idris, Mr. Richard Elesho, said there was no need taking issue up with the ANPP on spurious allegations, stressing that the state Police Command would be in a better position to ascertain the identity of the people in possession of fake police vigilante identification cards.
Lamenting that the party had been at the receiving end of a spate of violence and murder allegedly perpetrated by the opposition, Elesho gave the murder of the PDP chairman of Ankpa Local Government area, Alhaji Ali Ayegba as one of such cases, adding that the PDP governorship candidate, Idris, was a man who would stop at nothing to ensure peace even in the face of provocation.
“As a non-violent man, he has always preached not only to his aides but also the entire electorate in the state; and that is why the state has been witnessing unprecedented peace and tranquility since the Appeal Court ruling rather than crisis,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said on Thursday in Abuja that Kogi
State gubernatorial re-run election fixed for today will be one of the toughest and most difficult elections since it was set up.
The INEC National Commissioner in Charge of Information and Publicity, Mr. Philip Umeadi (Jnr), said while briefing newsmen that the election would present a very difficult scenario to the commission.
He added that the ANPP’s allegation might be a ploy to derail today’s fresh election.
The assurance of deployment of 4,000 policemen and a detachment of soldiers in the state to provide security during the fresh election slated for today, Saturday Tribune gathered, may prove to be a soothing balm for a number of residents in the state.
Meanwhile, Lokoja, remained calm yesterday.
Our reporter, who went round the state capital, observed that there was an influx of people into the capital, particularly staff of the INEC, security personnel, media men and foreign observers trooping to the state.
The capital city also witnessed the exodus of politicians to the rural areas in preparation for today’s election, while skeletal service was rendered by civil servants as the state secretariat had been deserted as early as 12.00noon.
Saturday Tribune also noticed the presence of security men stationed in some strategic places to beef up security, while there was heavy traffic on the major roads caused by those moving to their country homes to exercise their voting rights.
Meanwhile, police in the state have restricted movement throughout the state for today’s election.
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 8, Mr. Tunji Alapini, disclosed this to newsmen yesterday, adding that the restriction would be from 6am to 4pm.
He, however, added that his men would be flexible in implementing this order, considering the location of the state as a communication route between the North and South.