In the aftermath of a protest by suspected SDP supporters at the Kogi state secretariat of INEC, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Bethrand Onuoha, issued a stern warning to troublemakers on Wednesday.
“We thank God that the off-cycle governorship election in Kogi has come and gone peacefully, and we don’t expect anyone to cause any problems for us.
“As a security agency, we are imploring the politicians and INEC to follow the legal constitutional process since the issues are being handled by the Election Petition Tribunal.
“I was taken aback when some SDP protesters filed out with various placards, trying to barricade the INEC.
“I had to address them against that and urge them to go away and use the tribunal to address whatever grievances they had so as not to create problems for our peaceful state,” he said.
The demonstration, initially peaceful, escalated into chaos, prompting swift intervention by security agencies.
The protesters, alleging INEC’s tampering with election materials, demanded their transfer to Abuja. Claiming certainty, they asserted that the materials at the INEC office had been compromised by the APC.
“We have it on good authority that the APC and Yahaya Bello have tampered with the election materials.
“The materials they are taking to the tribunal have already been doctored. So we are calling on INEC to take the original material to INEC, or we will make Kogi State ungovernable.
“We are calling on the president and also the National Chairman of INEC to ensure the doctored materials are immediately replaced with the original ones before they are presented at the tribunal. Anything other than that will be resisted,” he said.
The Kogi APC Governorship Campaign Council dismissed the allegations, urging authorities to rein in the SDP and promised an official statement.
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Security forces averted a potential attack on the INEC office, dispersing protesters with tear gas and securing the vicinity.
In response, the SDP disowned the protesters, branding them as Gov Yahaya Bello’s sponsored thugs.
Lead counsel to the SDP informed the tribunal of INEC’s compliance with their order for material release. Justice Birnin-Kudu urged heightened security to protect INEC.
Mr Faruk Adejoh-Audu, Spokesman, Muri-Sam Governorship Campaign Council, the SDP said, “Over 500 persons, most of them thugs, have been deployed to the INEC office in Lokoja to attack lawyers and forensic experts of the SDP to prevent them from examining documents and materials emanating from the Kogi Nov. 11 governorship elections.
“The thugs and posters procured for them have also been detailed to attack and sack the office to ensure the materials needed for our party to prosecute its petition at the tribunal are compromised.”
However, during the resumption of the election petition tribunal on Wednesday, Mr. John Adele (SAN), the lead counsel for the SDP, informed the Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu panel that INEC had commenced adherence to the tribunal’s order, releasing electoral materials for inspection.
“My Lord, INEC has started complying, but only this morning some protesters barricaded the road to its (commission’s) office, and we don’t know why,” Adele said.
Nevertheless, Justice Birnin-Kudu called on the state’s security operatives to step up and guarantee the thorough protection and security of INEC.
The tribunal, responding to SDP’s challenge to the APC’s victory, had earlier ordered INEC to provide certified copies of election materials.
Usman Ododo of the APC secured victory with 446,237 votes, while Murtala Ajaka of the SDP garnered 259,052 votes, and Dino Melaye of the PDP received 46,362 votes.
