A gubernatorial candidate in Kogi State, Mr. Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has narrated how a thug allegedly detailed to attack his convoy turned out to be a serving police officer.
He said he was still shocked that a thug pursued into the bush and arrested by his security operatives last Wednesday night after a failed ambush turned out to be a serving Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).
As Ajaka laments the development, a House of Representatives candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) for Ofu/Idah, Igalamela-Odolu/Ibaji Federal Constituency of Kogi State in the February 2023 General election, Egbunu Yusuf Amanabo has officially pitched his political tent with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Amanabo’s defection, with his supporters, took place in his Igechaba ward, where he declared, “I officially decamped from the NNPP to the APC today at my ward level in Idah with my teeming supporters at Idah Hotels”
He adds, “We have fully joined the APC today to give our support to the Ododo/Joel joint ticket with a robust campaign for total victory come November 11th, 2023.
The deputy Governorship candidate of the APC Salifu Joel was among those that received Amanabo.
Ajaka recalled with dread how he ran into a blockade by the thugs who opened sporadic gunfire on his convoy that Wednesday night but were repelled by his gallant security details who chased the thugs into the bush even as their kingpin, a fugitive declared wanted by the Federal High Court, escaped.
His words, according to a statement by the spokesman of his campaign organisation, Mr. Faruk Adejoh-Audu: “I was shocked when the one caught in the bush started begging and crying out that he’s a police officer detailed to follow the thugs by his superior.
“We know the outgoing (state executive) is desperate and will compromise all those who are willing to be corrupted but the INEC measures against fraud and manipulation are too full proof for anyone to undermine .
“All our supporters should disregard any alarm of crooks reconfiguring BVAS devices. It’s just not possible. We have total confidence in the ability of INEC to secure our votes, ” Alhaji Ajaka told a meeting of party stakeholders in Abuja.
He reiterated his absolute confidence in the resolve of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a transparently free and fair election on November 11,2023.
Alhaji Ajaka said himself and the party leadership had taken time to exhaustively examine the measures against electoral fraud introduced by the commission and are satisfied that the votes of the electorate will ultimately prevail.
He said his campaign was rather concerned with the desperation of a state executive abusing the authority of his sacred office to foist anarchy on the state through arming of thugs and procuring security agents to create an atmosphere of fear and terror before the elections.
Ajaka said that it’s unfortunate that the executive had now abandoned his oath of office to protect the lives and properties of citizens to be compromising the official security personnel of State and turning them into political thugs.