Two months after the conduct of the governorship election in Kogi State, battle of wards has continued between the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Social Democratic Social gathering, SDP.
The event is constructing additional political rigidity within the State, with concern that the deliberate inspection of election supplies by the SDP is perhaps visited with violence.
To avert a attainable mayhem, the method has been moved to the nationwide headquarters of the INEC in Abuja.
Arogidigba World Journal remembers that the keenly contested election was gained by Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, who will later this month be sworn in because the fifth civilian governor of the State.
Ododo of the APC was declared elected by the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee, INEC, having defeated his closest rival, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka of the SDP in the course of the November 11, 2023, polls.
Nonetheless, even with Ododo set to be sworn in on January 27, the SDP says the battle isn’t but over.
Some political events such because the Folks Democratic Social gathering, PDP, Motion Democratic Congress, ADC, aren’t contesting the result of the election in court docket.
However the SDP candidate, Alhaji Muritala Yakubu Ajaka argued that the outcomes from the Central Senatorial District, the place the APC candidate hails from, was extremely manipulated.
Ajaka is in court docket, hoping to upturn the result of the polls.
It may very well be recalled that the Nationwide Chairman of the SDP, Alhaji Shehu Gabam, whereas addressing journalists in November, 2023, mentioned, “We in SDP disagree, we’re unhappy, we’re disillusioned, at this stage of civilisation, this stage of creating our democracy, that such stage of brazen disregard for the rule of legislation remains to be accepted. We is not going to go away it, we’ll problem it, and we’re placing all our info collectively.
“Now we have informed the President this would be the first check run for his integrity, I don’t know if we’re transferring right into a one-state system, we’re following a number of the growth, we’re following a number of the judicial pronouncements.
“On this similar nation that we fought for democracy, in 1999 a number of the greatest politicians have been arrested and despatched to jail for the restoration of democracy. From 1999 so far our democracy has produced greater than grandchildren, so, we aren’t studying.”
He bemoaned the truth that the electoral umpire had indicted its officers for compromising, however that no motion had been taken regardless of his assertion that impunity was the norm.
APC fires one other shot
Just some days in the past, the APC alleged that the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, within the State, Mr Gabriel Hale Longpet, has been compromised by the SDP.
They accused the REC of conniving with the SDP and its candidate to destroy the electoral supplies used within the concluded election.
This was contained in an announcement issued on Wednesday, which was signed by Kingsley Femi Fanwo, Spokesperson/Director of Media and Publicity to the APC.
The Kogi APC recalled that the Social Democratic Social gathering and its candidate obtained an ex-parte order of the Tribunal on the twenty fifth day of November 2023, directing INEC to, amongst different issues, enable an inspection of electoral supplies used for the Governorship Election.
The get together mentioned, “the INEC was given solely 48 hours to adjust to the mentioned order, which incorporates all types, registers, outcome sheets, poll papers and BVAS machines.
“Upon being served with the Order on the twenty seventh day of November 2023, INEC filed a movement earlier than the Tribunal on the twenty ninth day of November 2023 praying the Court docket to put aside the mentioned order contending that the Tribunal lacked the jurisdiction to make the mentioned order and for different causes equivalent to obvious contradictions within the mentioned ex-parte order.
“That movement to put aside dated and filed on 29/11/2023 is to our data nonetheless earlier than the Tribunal because it has not been heard. It should even be famous that until date, the mentioned Order for inspection granted on 25/11/2023 has not been served on the winner of that election, Alhaji Usman Ododo and the APC who’re listed as events within the mentioned Order of Court docket.
“Most significantly is the truth that the Petition in respect of which the order of inspection was initially sought and granted was filed on the 2nd of December 2023 with the SDP and its candidate admitting at paragraph 92 of the contentious Petition that INEC had given them paperwork contained within the Order which included Voters Register, BVAS Accreditation Studies and Consequence Sheets.
“With the above background in thoughts, it’s subsequently surprising to be taught that the REC of INEC in Kogi State, who works for a physique which has requested a Court docket to put aside the Ex-parte Order for inspection it made, is now organizing an inspection train in Abuja for the SDP and its Candidate, an train which is totally and financially sponsored by the SDP and its candidate. Particularly, the REC despatched out the next messages to affected Employees of INEC in Kogi State:
“Good night everybody and praise of the season. I’ve simply been contacted by the authorized staff of the SDP concerning the inspection of the election supplies for the November eleventh Governorship Election.
“They mentioned that that they had communicated to the Fee that they wish to begin the inspection with Adavi, Okehi and Okene. They’re able to be answerable for the logistics and lodging of the EOs and the HOD EOPs and ICT who have to be on the Inspection as directed.
“Please convey this info to the affected officers. As for the logistics, Barrister Olowo who has been coping with us will present the funds. Please be certain that all officers and HODs talked about are in attendance for the inspection. Admin Sec. Co-ordinate. Thanks. REC”.
He talked about that the message was adopted up by one other request despatched on the occasion of the REC as follows: “In keeping with the above, I’ve been directed to tell the HODs (Ops&ICT) HoU Logistics and Electoral officers of Adavi, Okehi and Okene LGA to avail themselves on the Fee’s Headquarters, Abuja, on 4th Jan, 2024, for the inspection, scheduled to carry by 9am to 6pm”.
The APC mentioned the above message confirmed that the REC has been closely compromised by the SDP.
Fanwo mentioned, “It’s clear that the SDP and its Candidate who claimed to have filed their Petition have an ulterior motive concerning the election supplies used for the conduct of the November 11 Governorship Election in Kogi State and the REC Kogi State who’s on their payroll is keen and able to help them to tamper with these supplies.
“The REC by the above message is keen to compromise different employees of INEC by permitting the SDP to pay for his or her transportation, lodging and different logistics for an task which should be an official task. The Legislation which units up and regulates the actions of INEC doesn’t confer on INEC’s authorized opponents to fund INEC’s official assignments.
“The above message from the REC has clearly proven that he’s no umpire and that he’s now not worthy of the place of a REC as he has been closely compromised even earlier than this train as he has a longtime monetary relationship with the SDP and its candidate who’ve been coping with him by the mentioned Barrister Olowo.
“It’s unlucky that the REC in control of Kogi State has determined to soil his palms in a case by which legality of submitting remains to be in rivalry until date. He has clearly failed the check of impartiality and integrity and has clearly misrepresented the the Aristocracy of INEC.
“At this level, we name on the Chairman and Administration of INEC to instantly halt any inspection of electoral supplies used within the November 11, 2023 Governorship Election in Kogi State pending the willpower of the Movement on Discover filed by INEC and others to set the Order of inspection apart.
“INEC ought to start disciplinary processes in opposition to the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Kogi State, Mr. Longpet, having been closely compromised by the SDP and its Candidate.
“The message from the REC is an admission of graft by him and a ultimate nail on his fraudulent actions within the State. He has clearly misrepresented the integrity and authorized curiosity of INEC. The electoral physique ought to droop or redeploy the REC from Kogi State pending the result of the disciplinary course of in opposition to him”.
Cease propagating faux information – SDP fires again
In a swift response, the SDP faulted the declare of the APC over the alleged compromise of the REC.
In an announcement, the Director New Media Muri/Sam Marketing campaign Council/SDP, Isaiah Davies Ijele, accused the ruling get together in Kogi State of at all times propagating faux information to mislead most people.
He mentioned, “Kingsley Fanwo, the top of the propaganda wing of the expired, undesirable and directionless authorities of Emperor Yahaya Bello have to be hallucinating to be talking from each side of his mouth.
“The identical Fanwo that was praising INEC and accusing SDP for being answerable for the assault in opposition to Dr Longpet is the one turning round now to accuse him of working with SDP.
“The wagon of outlaws that praised INEC to excessive heavens are right now desperately making an attempt to color the INEC as an establishment in unhealthy mild.
“If not for the actions of some compromised employees of the group, a person like Fanwo that needs to be within the intensive care unit of a psychiatric hospital is not going to have the heart to hawk faux information in opposition to such a physique.
“Via Fanwo, mandate thieves accused the SDP of not submitting any petition, they engineered faux protest within the title of the SDP to trigger commotion however failed, the shameless dishonorable Fanwo allowed himself for use because the mouthpiece of evil machinations in opposition to Kogites.
“Fanwo is a licensed vendor of pretend information. Mr Fanwo, regardless of the authorized staff of the SDP is doing is in step with the authorized requirements of the court docket and intune with the laid down legal guidelines of our nation.
“Fanwo and his co-dreamers ought to enable the legislation to take its full course. He’s making those who stole the mandate of Kogites to appear to be a determined drowning set of individuals looking for public sympathy. He ought to enable them to proceed begging from one workplace to a different. What are they afraid of? How can a thief be beating drums after stealing?
“I’ll advise Fanwo to instantly submit himself to any psychiatric hospital nearer to him for an emergency psychological analysis.
“As an alternative of writing incoherently to cowl the fraud, he ought to reserve his pen to defend Yahaya Bello, his boss when the EFCC and different legislation enforcement companies of Nigeria come knocking after the expiration of his immunity.”
Ijele averred that the SDP candidate will recuperate his mandate by the authorized processes.
As of the time of this report, it’s unclear whether or not the SDP succeeded in inspecting the election supplies, yesterday, Thursday.
The SDP spokesman, Ijele, is but to answer an enquiry by Arogidigba World Journal on whether or not the election supplies have been inspected as scheduled.
Nonetheless, a prime member of the get together, who spoke to Arogidigba World Journal below anonymity, was upbeat that no type of frustration and propaganda would deter it from pursuing the course of justice.