The Muri/Sam Gubernatorial Campaign Council of the Social Democratic Party, SDP on Friday said, it uncovered plot by Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello to unleash hoodlums on FCT and Lokoja disguising as supporters of the party.
In a statement by Faruk Adejoh-Audu, Spokesman and Director of Communications Muri/Sam Gubernatorial Campaign Council, which was made available to CAPITAL POST in Lokoja, said, these miscreants and people of easy virtues would be mobilised in their numbers to storm Abuja and Lokoja in protest this weekend.
The Spokesperson said, T-shirts have been procured and printed with SDP logo and picture of the Governorship candidate, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka.
The statement pointed out that Bello’s grouse was the relocation of Tribunal to Abuja, urging the public and security agents that SDP as a law abiding party does not sponsor anyone to protest, even as they believea in the Tribunal hook line and sinker.
The statement reads: “It has come to the knowledge of the Muri/Sam Gubernatorial Campaign Council of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) that the Governor of Kogi State, Mr Yahaya Bello has Commissioned some miscreants to mobilize thousands of thugs from across the country to stage insurrections simultaneously in Lokoja and Abuja starting from this weekend.
“We are aware that thousands of Tshirts bearing the image of Alhaji Muritala Yakubu Ajaka our candidate in the November 11, Kogi Governorship Election and our party logo have been printed by these outlaws and are being distributed to the rented thugs to wear in the course of attacking motorists and destroying property in Abuja and Lokoja this weekend.
“The SDP wishes to strongly condemn the desperation of Mr Bello, which has now descended to sheer criminality. Why would a governor who openly bragged that he won an election, free and fair for his puppet, engage in funding violence through mass impersonation in the nation’s capital?
“In the last one week thugs and gun men hired by this same outlaw of a governor have lunched series of attacks on democratic institutions and custodians of such institutions in Kogi State.
“Angry that his campaign of violence has led to the relocation of the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal to Abuja, Mr Bello is now importing his gangs of violent thugs to the federal capital to attack innocent persons and blame it on the SDP.
“We are by this statement informing the security agencies particularly the Nigerian Police Force, (NPF) and the Directorate of State Security (DSS) that except they move to reign in the outlaw in Lokoja, thugs will seige on Abuja tomorrow wearing SDP Tshirts and fez caps.
“We totally disown these criminals and call on the DSS and Police to use maximum force to contain these insurrectionist who have been paid to impersonate members of the SDP.
“Mr Bello sponsored a similar insurrection with his rented thugs wearing SDP T-shirts and face caps last week in Lokoja to prevent our lawyer’s from inspecting election materials.
“We promptly issued a statement to disown the impersonators while they were at it, but unfortunately a section of the media still went to town to report that the insurrectionists were our members even when they were duly in receipt of our disclaimer.
“Most of these people relied on the Commissioner of police in Lokoja, one Bethrand Onouha who, to all intent and purposes, has been very biased and compromised in the discharge of his statutory duties in the course of this elections.
“We are serving notice now that we shall be seeking redress in court against anyone who dares to refer to these thugs as our members after this disclaimer.
“Once again, the SDP is not organizing any protests or demonstrations whatsoever. Anyone caught in SDP paraphernalia or memorabilia engaging in any protest or criminal activity in Abuja or Lokoja within this period should immediately be regarded as a mercenary rented to impersonate our members and cause mayhem and should be made to face the full Wright of the law.”
