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SDP Slams Buhari For ‘Endorsing’ The Kogi Polls Marred By Violence

The SDP insists the President’s actions contradict his utterances and campaign promise of free and fair elections.

The Social Democratic Party SDP has slammed President Mohammadu Buhari  for praising the conduct of the Kogi State Governorship Elections which was characterized by reports of widespread violence.

The Party which participated in the election faulted the president for praising the conduct of the Kogi polls despite reports of voting irregularities, intimidation of voters and electoral officials as well as rigging.

President Mohammadu Buhari

Speaking exclusively to RootsTv Nigeria, the party’s national secretary Shehu Musa Gabam said the president’s actions contradict his utterances and campaign promise of free and fair elections.

Gabam said’

In a small state like Kogi, people who are not part of security agencies brandishing guns. They took over the whole state and the president deemed it necessary to congratulate him {Yahaya Bello}, then something is wrong fundamentally in the country”

Gabam further slammed security operatives for allowing lawlessness during the conduct of the Kogi polls

 

“What we saw were people who were not permitted by law brandishing guns. We have seen gangsters taking over electoral centres, shooting in the air on election day in a state where the security agencies say they have deployed over thirty-something police men to guard a small state like Kogi. There is no justification for what happened in Kogi State” Gabam lamented

The November 16th elections in Kogi State returned Yahaya Bello as governor for a second tenure.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced Yahaya Bello, fielded by the All Progressive Congress winner of the November 16th governorship elections. Yahaya Bello had a total of 406,222 votes to defeat his closest rival, Musa Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party, who polled 189,704 votes.

Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello

Following this announcement, President Mohammadu Buhari’s took to his official twitter page @Mbuhari to congratulate Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello for the win.

Despite the deaths recorded during the polls, President Mohammadu Buhari commended INEC and the security agencies for the conduct of the Kogi Polls

HARVEST OF DEATHS

According to civil society organization, Center For Democracy Development, 10 deaths, and 70 critical incidences were recorded during the Kogi state governorship elections.

However, the Commissioner of Police in the State, Hakeem Busari said only four people were killed by political thugs during the election.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senatorial Candidate, Dino Melaye also confirmed the killing of his nephew by suspected political thugs.

Two persons were also reportedly killed by stray bullets at the Adankolo polling unit in Lokoja when some suspected thugs attempted to snatch ballot boxes at the polling unit.

GALE OF REJECTIONS

The SDP candidate Natasha Akpoti who polled 9,482 votes to come third in the Kogi elections has rejected the outcome of the elections, a stance her party supports.

Shehu Gabam has vowed that his party will seek redress in court.

Natasha Akpoti wants President Buhari to intervene and forestall violence in Kogi this Saturday

Recall that Natacha Akpoti through her counsel Mike Ozekhome SAN had on Friday, November 15th, just 24 hours to the elections attempted to stop Yahaya Bello from participating in the elections after it approached the federal high court in Abuja accusing the Kogi governor of double registration.

This would have gotten Bello disqualified from contesting the election if not for an application by his counsel Mike Enahoro-Ebang praying the court to join the governor to the suit.

Judge Inyang Ekwo granted the application by Bello’s counsel adjourning hearing for the matter to November 21st

Federal High Court Abuja

The PDP candidate in the Kogi elections Musa Wada has also rejected the results of the governorship elections

With all the controversies surrounding the Kogi elections, it is clear the polls will still dominate headlines in the coming days.

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