The Commissioner of Police for Kogi State, Mr Bertrand Onuoha, issued a stern warning to politicians on Wednesday, urging them not to disrupt the peace that has prevailed since the conclusion of the Off-Cycle Governorship Election in Kogi.
This plea came in response to a protest staged by suspected party supporters at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office. The Commissioner emphasised the need for all parties involved to adhere to the legal and constitutional process, especially considering that election-related matters are under the jurisdiction of the Election Petition Tribunal.
Expressing his concern, Commissioner Onuoha said, “We thank God that the Off-Cycle Governorship Election of Kogi has come and gone peacefully, and we don’t expect anyone to cause any problems for us. As a security agency, we implore politicians and INEC to follow the legal process, as the tribunal handles the issues. I was taken aback when SDP protesters attempted to barricade the INEC office with placards. I addressed them, urging them to use the tribunal to address their grievances rather than create problems for our peaceful state.”
Earlier in the day, suspected supporters of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Kogi had gathered at the state secretariat of INEC, protesting alleged tampering with election materials. Security forces intervened promptly to prevent an attack on the INEC office, dispersing protesters with tear gas and securing the premises.
Initially peaceful, the protest took a turn when some demonstrators began throwing harmful objects and harassing passersby. The protesters insisted that election materials be relocated to Abuja, expressing concerns that the materials at the INEC office had been compromised by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
One protester, Danjuma, claimed, “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. We are calling on INEC to take the original material to Abuja, or we will make Kogi State ungovernable. We call on the president and the National Chairman of INEC to ensure the doctored materials are replaced with the original ones before being presented at the tribunal. Anything other than that will be resisted.”
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
