Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
The Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Smart Adeyemi, yesterday, raised the alarm that powerful politicians who wanted to stop his reelection, were after his life.
The Senator, however, said details of those threatening his life had been properly documented with the appropriate security agencies.
Adeyemi made the disclosure in a statement he personally signed and made available to THISDAY in Abuja.
He noted that his perceived enemies actually wanted him to drop his reelection bid to allow someone else to contest the poll, to satisfy a rotation arrangement.
He, nevertheless, said the leaders in the senatorial district had asked him to ignore the threats and forge ahead with his ambition.
Adeyemi said he had no problem with anyone being anointed as the All Progressives Congress candidate but maintained that such arrangement should not be at the detriment of other aspirants.
The Senator assured his supporters that nothing would stop him from contesting and that the will of the people would definitely prevail.
Part of the statement read, “After due deliberate consultations with very senior citizens and my constituents who believe in me, I have been urged and geared to go ahead and contest this election in continued service to my people.
“I am therefore resolute to go ahead, irrespective of the consequences, as a free citizen of Nigeria.
“I hereby call on well-meaning Nigerians, the masses whom I have always spoken for, as well as the international community to evaluate my antecedents, my representations both now and in the time past.
“The allegations I am making is that certain individuals have been pencilled down as anointed candidates in the upcoming elections and I have absolutely no problem with that.
“However, this must not be to the exclusion of any other candidate who is desirous of exercising his fundamental human rights.”
Adeyemi wondered why the powers that be in his senatorial district would ask him to step down when he had performed well in the federal parliament.
He said, “Every Nigerian has a right to run, and the voice of the people will, and must prevail. I therefore see no reason why anybody’s life should be at stake for that reason.
“The extent to the threat to my life is yet to be defined but they are quite potent and palpable, based on their utterances, and I quote, “… if he dares to contest.”
“This had led me with no other options than to make a formal and urgent report to the relevant security agencies and top security officials within and outside the country.
“Any threat to life should not be taken should not be taken lightly.
“Consequently and on this premise, Nigerians and the international community are by this statement, duly informed that the lives of my immediate family and I, are under severe threat.
“Should any harm or eventuality come to any of us, we know those who are responsible for it and this has been duly registered in the appropriate quarters.”
