Over 1000 Thugs Storm Kogi to Manipulate Poll, PDP alleges

…Alleges INEC, Security Personnel Already Compromised

… Says Bello Remains Hard Nut to Crack

Williams Anuku Abuja

Barely few days to the gubernatorial election in Kogi State, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised the alarm, alleging that over 1000 political thugs have stormed the State to perpetrate mayhem.

The opposition also alleged that the candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Yahaya Bello have perfected plans to rig the election, noting that he was using the state resources and security personnel to muzzle the opposition.

Farouk Adejoh, Secretary Publicity Committee of PDP Governorship Campaign Council made the allegations on Friday in Abuja, where he noted that under a free and fair setting the APC candidate would be defeated but that they were already apprehensive that the opponent is brazenly using crude force to manipulate the process.

He also alleged that the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission have been compromised as the governor was indirectly influencing officials to be deployed to the state for the conduct of the poll.

The opposition however admitted that Bello may prove a hard nut to crack with the way he is ochestrating activities around the coming election.

Adejoh said, “we are aware that the incumbent Governor has mobilised thugs for the purpose of manipulating the elections slated for November 16.

“He is also using the Police authorities in his favour, they are aware and are doing nothing about it.

“Unfortunately we are filled with a sense of foreboding and trepidation as a result of the desperate designs and scheming of our main opponent, the incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello of the APC in obvious connivance with institutions of state with the constitutional duty and obligations to be impartial and transparent.

“With his thugs having successfully gotten away with crimes including murder in the last elections, the outgoing governor of kogi state and his running late now make no effort whatsoever to hide their agenda of violence towards the election.

“Thugs and cultist are being imported into kogi in their hundreds on a daily basis, in the last few days it is estimated that over 1000 external thugs have arrived kogi State and are being camped by Bello’s illegal local government administrations across the State.”