From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Ajaka
The Social Democratic Party (SDP), has decried APC’s alleged character assassination on its candidate, Muritala Ajaka, members and supporters over the recent attack during its political rally at Koto-karfe, headquarters of Kogi Local Government Area.
The Director General New Media of MuriSam Campaign Council, Isaiah Ijele in a statement made available to Journalists described LP APC accusation as defamatory and incoherent
“APC press briefing which was nothing but a clear attempt towards character assassination against the personalities of SDP candidate and their supporters was spare-headed by the information commissioner, Kingsley Fanwo and his cronies. It is important to clear the air against possible wrong perception of the image of the Social Democratic Party in preparation for the November 11th election.
According to the SDP Director General New Media Campaign Council, “Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka and all his supporters are law abiding, steadfast, and respecters of the laid down principles of democracy and the all binding Electoral Act unlike the APC, her supporters and the candidate they are finding difficult to push down the throat of Kogites.
“The Campaign of the SDP has been and will continue to be issue-based, devoid of any ethnic colouration.
“Our campaign is anchored on the promises of saving Kogi State from the hands of individuals milking her resources dry, impoverishing the populace, ethnically dividing the state, percentage salaries payment, rebuilding the collapsed infrastructures of the state, creating a peaceful environment where businesses and unity will thrive and putting Kogi on the path of prosperity.
“There is no healthy legacy for Ododo anywhere in Kogi state to build on outside continuing in the stinking path of Yahaya Bello, his godfather. It is laughable and misleading that the campaign council is trying so hard to portray divisive Ododo as a unifying individual.
“Is it not funny that an Ododo that cannot address Kogites is being paraded as a competent candidate over Murtala Yakubu Ajaka that constantly relates his plans and ideas to Kogites?
“On the sad issue of Koton Karfe, the SDP and her supporters were peaceful, uncompromising, law-abiding but were wickedly attacked by thugs working for the APC.
” There is a video evidence of peaceful gathering SDP supporters before APC thugs invaded the venue with guns and machetes, destroying the venue, injuring our supporters and shooting sporadically at our convoy.
“Contrary to the position of Mr. Fanwo and the APC, it was our supporters that were attacked. It is already evident that the APC unleashed terror on the peace loving people of Koton Karfe because of their love for Murtala Yakubu Ajaka. The unanswered question is what is an APC supporter doing in an SDP rally?
“We wish to state categorically that it is not true that the commissioner of police and other relevant authorities in the state were not aware of the SDP rally in Koton Karfe on that fateful day.
“What is true is that the APC ambushed the good people of Koton Karfe to cause panic and deter their resolve for the candidacy of Murtala Yakubu Ajaka. This they failed to achieve because after the attacks and destruction the people still came out to receive Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, confirming their support for him.
“There is no time that our principal either privately or publicly called any ethnic group “a common enemy”. The video clip of his outing on Channels television is on the internet for everyone to listen and watch. In that interview, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka harped on “Governor Yahaya Bello as the common enemy of the people ”.
Indeed he is the common enemy of the people because he deliberately divided the Kogi political environment across ethnic lines, he is a terror to his subjects and made them suffer untold hardship. A Governor that excavated federal roads, refused paying salaries, and attacked political opponents rightly earned his title as the “common enemy of the people”.
” APC cannot win in a peaceful and transparent contest.
“The security institutions of the state must remain neutral in the service of Kogites and Nigerians. They must resist the urge to be induced into playing politics and siding with the oppressor of the people.
“As a peace loving party, we are calling on them to thoroughly investigate the saddening incident in Koton Karfe and hold those behind it accountable. Pictorial evidence and video clips of the unprovoked attack of the SDP and her supporters are on the internet for people to deduce from while waiting for a comprehensive police report.
“To test the competency of Murtala Yakubu Ajaka and Alhaji Usman Ododo, we are challenging the APC candidate to a live debate on any media platform of his choice. It is high time Bello turned down his desperation for this unachievable third term bid and allow Ododo to tell Kogites what he has to offer.
Elections are not won by violence, intimidation and division, it is time for the APC and Bello to stop the violent attacks on the SDP and her supporters”
