The Musa Wada Campaign Organization has raised an alarm over what it describes as the threatening utterances of one Edward Onoja, said to be the running mate to Alhaji Yahaya Bello the candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in the imminent Kogi State Governorship Election.
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In the widely circulated statement signed by its head of publicity, Farouk Adejo- Audu,the group attributed the threat to the running mate to All Progressive Governors candidate and sitting governor, Yayah Bello, Edward Onoja to the fact that “two Ankpa guys and three Anyigba sons that (sic) vandalized Dr Ogbo’s vehicles Will be practically used as scape-goats by the authorities by the ruling party in the run up to the elections .
The statement quoted the running mate to Governor Bello as saying that” a million Musa Wada can’t do jack. If he messes up they will arrest and dock him. This is not a threat but an assurance.”
It will be recalled that the November 16 election campaign by the two leading aspirants have been dominated by threats and counter threats of violence as a build up to the elections.
Audu said the PDP aspirant campaign organization considers Onojas outburst as “unfortunate and a new low in the communication temperament of a public officer.”
The spokesman said that contrary to onojas claims ,”no PDP supporter attacked the said Dr Usman Ogbo but rather the said Ogbo drove furiously into a peaceful procession of party supporters with the aim of causing grievous injury or death to law abiding people.”
He said in the ensuing melee,”several persons scampered for safety as onlookers continued to scream in horror and alarm..Many sustained injuries as a result of this wickedness of an otherwise university lecturer. ”
According to the spokesperson,eye witness account said the convoy of three cars in an attempt to escape the deliberate carnage did a wild circular turn with two of them ramming into each other.
As a result he contended that even then the vehicles driving dangerously and menacingly managed to escape from the scene but not before several persons had identified Dr Ogbo of the APC as the culprit.
He alleged further that the raging violence as a build -up to the forthcoming election in the state also involved ” two other APC chieftains and lords of violence who had unsuccessfully confronted the procession and motorcade of the PDP candidate with an intention of provoking the procession “adding that outbreak of violence was averted based on the advise of elders who he said were on the “Thank you” visit of Engr Musa Wada ,the PDP candidate to the area.
He disclosed that the first of such incidence occured t one Hon Ahmed when a party chieftain named Ahmed who at about 1:48 pm drove his convoy with several thugs chanting 4+4 and shooting sporadically to confront the convoy of PDP
candidate Musa Wada and attempting to force it off the road.
Audu said that but for the early restrains by elders in the PDP convoy,his provocative bravado enraged the younger members of the party who were quickly restrained and pacified by the candidate and other elders from reacting which would have degenerated.
He stated that another incident occured at about 5pm three hours later when,” the notoriously violent Kogi East Vice Chairman Alhaji Ahmedi Attah ,equally confronted the motorcade with a convoy of about four cars just before Ajiyolo village on the Anyigba – Dekina Road. The occupants of the two unmarked white Toyota Hilux that heralded the cars shot sporadically as they forced our candidate’s motorcade out of the way. ”
The PDP campaign spokesman said the party tolerated all what he described as “the carefully orchestrated provocations because we are familiar with Bello’s government and his supporters lust for violence and refused to be baited to a turf where they are comfortable. “
