The Social Democratic Party, (SDP) has condemned what it termed barbaric attacks on witnesses in the ongoing Kogi State election tribunal.
The party in a statement signed by Isaiah Davies Ijele, Director New Media, Muri/Sam Campaign Council/SDP noted that, witnesses from Kogi Central who have come forward to testify about over voting and irregularities during the November 11, 2023 in Kogi State election have been allegedly subjected to violence and intimidation
“Their properties have been vandalized and burnt, with reports of a pregnant woman being assaulted. These acts are unacceptable and are creating a climate of fear that discourages individuals from participating in a peaceful judicial process. If unchecked, this can undermine our democracy in Nigeria.
“You can recall three days to the election, the former Governor through the instrumentality of state security actors attacked the house of our campaign DG in Anyigba where two mobile Policemen and two innocent civilians lost their lives, that is not enough they are now unleashing their thugs on the witnesses that are coming forth to the tribunal.
“It is no news that Kogi state commissioner of information Hon. Kingsley Fanwo, Who had been their propaganda machine, in his usual way denied the attack even with overwhelming evidence. This shows the unwillingness of the Kogi state government, a state where the office of the former Governor has remained operative above that of the current governor. We expect nothing less except the federal government to come to the rescue of the state.
“We are calling on Kingsley Fanwo and his band of Lawless People to be more concerned about the ongoing revelations at the Tribunal such as the overwhelming evidence of over Voting and fake affidavit presented by Usman Ododo to INEC instead of unleashing mayhem on free citizens for standing for what is right.( See attached photograph)
“The presentation of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, (BVAS)
data has revealed significant discrepancies, indicating potential over voting in all wards and polling units presented thus far, raises serious questions about the legitimacy of the election results declared by INEC.
“An affidavit submitted by Mr. Usman Ododo, the APC candidate, has been verified as fake by the High Court Registrar at the tribunal. This blatant attempt to mislead the INEC undermines the integrity of the entire process.
“Moreso, it should be a matter of great concern to every citizen of Kogi state and lover of democracy in Nigeria if a supposed governor has no substantial document of his claimed academic qualifications and could present a fake affidavit of declaration of age and loss of documents.
“More worrisome is the fact that Fanwo who I tagged as commissioner of Liars Could in a press release claim that The SDP are behind the attack on witnesses from Kogi central whose testimonies affirm BVAS revelations in the ongoing process, how logical is this assertion. Fanwo should stop misinforming the people and face the fact that your principal is now being exposed and also lacks the qualified knowledge and leadership skills to govern the. State.
“It is also worth knowing that certain individuals from Kogi Central are reportedly spreading misleading information about the tribunal proceedings on social media platforms. Additionally, some mainstream media outlets, have been accused of publishing biased reports that inflame emotions rather than providing accurate information” he explained.
Ijele urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all relevant authorities to intervene immediately in this situation. “It is imperative to ensure the safety and security of all individuals involved in the Kogi electoral tribunal case. A thorough investigation into the reported violence and intimidation is essential at this moment.
“We also call upon media houses to uphold journalistic integrity and professionalism in their reporting of the tribunal proceedings. Accurate and factual reporting is crucial for maintaining public trust in the democratic process. We cannot allow our democracy to be undermined by electoral fraud, violence, and the spread of misinformation. We urge all stakeholders to act swiftly and decisively to ensure a fair and transparent judicial process” he added.
It could be recall that, the ongoing Kogi election tribunal case currently being held at the National Judicial Institute in Abuja is between the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate, Alhaji Yakubu Murtala Ajaka, as the petitioners, against the All Progressives Congress (APC), its candidate, Ahmed Usman Ododo and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as respondents.
