Ibrahim Oyewale, Lokoja
With the reported fire incident at the Kogi State secretariat of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), fresh signs of palpable fear and tension has signaled the impending governorship election in the state on Saturday, November 16.
It was gathered that hoodlums suspected to be political thugs of a leading political party in the state were said to have invaded the state secretariat of the SDP and set it on fire.
According to eye witness account, the incident happened in the early hours of Sunday when the thugs vandalized the secretariat in Lokoja
The Kogi State SDP secretariat is located close to the All Progressives Congress (APC) state secretariat opposite the Lokoja Local Government secretariat along Murtala Way, Lokoja.
In an earlier attack, it was learnt that the windows and doors of the SDP secretariat were shattered while banners, posters and other campaign materials in the secretariat were also destroyed
Sources hinted that the hoodlums who set the SDP Secretariat ablaze his their faces behind a mask and were dressed in black
The State Chairman of Social Democratic Party, Mouktar Atima pointed accusing fingers on the ruling party who he alleged of “releasing their boys to unleash terror on our party .”
Atima explained that the development was a confirmation of the several threats received recently by the party’s governorship candidate, Natasha Akpoti.
He said no amount of harassment and destruction will deter the party and it’s governorship candidate from contesting and winning the Saturday election saying they remain undaunted even as he appealed to party supporters not to be discouraged over the recent development.
However, the spokesman for the APC governorship campaign council, Kingsley Fanwo dispelled the allegation that the hoodlums that burnt the SDP secretariat were sponsored by the ruling party.
According to him, the party and its candidate are currently busy campaigning round the state and “have no time for irrelevant issues.”
But the state police commissioner, Hakeem Busari said the police was already aware of the destruction and stressed that investigation has commenced to bring the culprits to book.
