The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has called on security institutions of the state to remain neutral in the service of citizens of the state and Nigerians.
This was contained in a statement issued on Monday night by Director General New Media MuriSam Campaign Council, Mr. Isaiah Davies Ijele, while reacting to a press conference organised by the All Progressive Congress (APC) on Monday.
According to the statement, security personnel must resist the urge to be induced into playing politics and siding with the oppressor of the people.
“As a peace loving party, we are calling on them to thoroughly investigate the saddening incident in Koton Karfe and hold those behind it accountable. Pictorial evidence and video clips of the unprovoked attack of the SDP and her supporters are on the internet for people to deduce from while waiting for a comprehensive police report.
“Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka and all his supporters are law abiding, steadfast, and respecters of the laid down principles of democracy and the all binding Electoral Act unlike the APC, her supporters and the candidate they are finding difficult to push down the throat of Kogites.
“The Campaign of the SDP has been and will continue to be issue-based, devoid of any ethnic colouration. Our campaign is anchored on the promises of saving Kogi State from the hands of individuals milking her resources dry, impoverishing the populace, ethnically dividing the state, percentage salaries payment, rebuilding the collapsed infrastructures of the state, creating a peaceful environment where businesses and unity will thrive and putting Kogi on the path of prosperity.
“On the sad issue of Koton Karfe, the SDP and her supporters were peaceful, uncompromising, law-abiding but were wickedly attacked by thugs working for the APC. As it was expected, the APC lied about the lady not bearing arms.
“The background and the history of the deceased will further prove her activities as a thug in town. There is video evidence of peaceful gathering of SDP supporters before APC thugs invaded the venue with guns and machetes, destroying the venue, injuring our supporters and shooting sporadically at our convoy. Contrary to the position of Mr. Fanwo and the APC, it was our supporters that were attacked. It is already evident that the APC unleashed terror on the peace loving people of Koton Karfe because of their love for Murtala Yakubu Ajaka. The unanswered question is what is an APC supporter doing in an SDP rally?
“We wish to state categorically that it is not true that the commissioner of police and other relevant authorities in the state were not aware of the SDP rally in Koton Karfe on that fateful day. What is true is that the APC ambushed the good people of Koton Karfe to cause panic and deter their resolve for the candidacy of Murtala Yakubu Ajaka. This they failed to achieve because after the attacks and destruction the people still came out to receive Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, confirming their support for him,” the statement said.
. TheWitness
