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The Kogi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sent a ‘Save our Soul’ message to the Inspector General of Police IGP, Usman Baba Alkali and the Director General, State Services DGSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi accusing the state governor, Yahaya Bello of undue harassment.
Specifically, PDP disclosed of plans by state officials to plant incriminating exhibits in some homes with a view to obtaining and executing a search warrant on them to facilitate arrests of the owners.
The petition dated 21st October was received by the State Security Service SSS on 24th October 2022.
It was titled, ‘An SoS against the Criminal Conspiracy, Deliberate and Malicious Persecution, attempts to procure False Evidence, Intimidation, Incessant Harassment, Fabrication and acts capable of promoting breach of peace and order perpetrated by the Governor of the state, Yahaya Bello and his cohorts”.
The petition was copied the IGP, the Commissioner of Police in Kogi, the State Director of SSS and the Commandant, Nigerian Army Records, Lokoja, Kogi State.
Kogi State Chairman of the party, Engr. Samuel Uhuotu who signed the petitions said the state government is perfecting plans to plant guns, ammunition and other incriminating weapons at the home of PDP’s Kogi Central senatorial candidate, Chief Mrs. Natasha Hadiza Akpoti-Uduaghan in Ihima and her campaign office located opposite the Central Mosque in Okene, Kogi State as well as in the homes and offices of her notable political associates and other candidates of the PDP running for various offices in the upcoming 2023 general elections.
Part of the petition reads; “I am the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State. I write this humble petition on behalf of the PDP in Kogi State, the candidates of our party for the various political offices in Kogi State in the 2023 general election, and more specifically on behalf of our candidate for the Kogi Central Senatorial District, and seek your urgent intervention in respect of the above subject matter.
“Sir, I wish to bring to your kind attention the information at the disposal of our candidate regarding the conspiracy by the government and people loyal to the government of Kogi State, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kogi Chapter, to cause harm to the life, reputation and ambition of our candidates and our notable members.
“Since their emergence, our candidates have faced an undue and unprecedented level of persecution, intimidation and attacks against their persons as well as their close political associates.
“Through her various cohorts and political thugs, the Kogi State government and Kogi APC have resorted to underhand schemes in order to thwart the ambition of our candidates, whose only crime is harkening to the voice of their people to give them the much-desired effective representation at the National Assembly.
“Having failed in their numerous attempts to turn the people against our party and her candidates, the state government and her loyalists have now hatched the nefarious stratagem to plant incriminating materials in the various properties of our candidates and their political associates.
“Specifically, the government is perfecting plans to plant guns, ammunition and other incriminating weapons at the home of our Kogi Central senatorial candidate, Chief Mrs. Natasha Hadiza Akpoti-Uduaghan, located at Plot 101, Dr Jimoh Akpoti Street, Obeiba-lhima, Okehi LGA, Kogi State, her campaign office located opposite the Central Mosque in Okene, Kogi State as well as in the homes and offices of her notable political associates and other candidates of the PDP running for various offices in the upcoming 2023 general elections in a bid to stage a phantom ground to procure a search warrant in order to embarrass and harass us.
“In view of the foregoing, our party reasonably believes that the lives of our candidates and those of their family members, their political associates and members of the PDP in Kogi State are under serious threat from Kogi State government and its thugs. What is more, our candidates and indeed our party is troubled by the desperation of the state government to install her stooges in the various political offices in Kogi State in order to remain politically relevant in the state – for this purpose he has vowed to crush all opposition.
“We, therefore, humbly bring this petition to your good offices for the threats and conspiracy of the state government and her loyalists as well as the Kogi APC to be investigated and prevented. We urge you to intervene and thwart the plans of the governor and save the good people of Kogi State from the government’s evil machinations which are capable of causing serious breach of the peace.
We thank you in advance for your kind attention and consideration of this petition”.
