. Says he’s not in the race, only inciting violence with armed thugs

. Calls on security, other relevant agencies to ensure justice for slain APC supporter

The Kogi State All Progressives Congress Governorship Campaign Council has called on security agencies to fish out those responsible for the unfortunate killing of a harmless female supporter of the party in Kotonkarfe Local Government Area of Kogi State and bring them to book to serve as deterrent to other criminals.

While commiserating with the family of the deceased, the people of Kotonkarfe and Kogites in general, the Campaign Council said the Social Democratic Party rally, in which the woman was allegedly murdered by thugs loyal to the Governorship Candidate, was a satanic ambush on the peace-loving people of Kotonkarfe.

The Director, Media and Publicity/Spokesman of the Campaign Council, Kingsley Fanwo, who spoke at the inaugural press briefing of the Council on Monday, noted that those “who threatened to kill and went ahead to kill have undoubtedly declared war on the Nigerian state”, and must face the law.

He said while the APC candidate, Usman Ododo, had remained uncompromisingly committed to an issue-based campaign, devoid of violence, ethnocentric narratives or divisive tendencies, the Campaign of the SDP Candidate, Muritala Yakubu, had been divisive and inciting.

According to the Campaign Council, Yakubu’s statements have been unguarded, inflammatory and acidic, and even the security agencies and well meaning Nigerians have taken note of this.

The Council, however, called on APC supporters to remain calm, noting that it was sure that the security agencies would not allow killers to walk freely without consequences.

The Kogi APC Campaign Council urged the public to do independent surveys on the strength of candidates jostling for the governorship seat in the state, saying an objective poll would reveal that the SDP candidate, even among those contesting from Igala land, was nowhere near the top contenders.

“The reason is that the good people of Igala land, having followed his activities over the years, and knowing that he lacks the intellectual capacity to represent them, would rather go with responsible candidates,” the Council said.

Fanwo said the SDP candidate would be thoroughly defeated at the polls and would still have to account for his alleged “sins against humanity.”

The Council stated, “The initial statement of the Police authorities have been reassuring. There must be justice for the murdered soul. It is high time Kogites called the blood-sucking campaign of the SDP to order. Elections are won on the ballot and not via the bullet. Even in the face of glaring provocation, our party and our campaign will remain peaceful and play according to the rules of the game.

“The unguarded, inflammatory and acidic statements of the SDP candidate, Alh. Muritala Yakubu Ajaka on national television have not gone unnoticed. What is of surprise to us is how he gets away after calling a whole ethnic group “a common enemy”. He also said they were ready for violence.

“His utterances and actions are not supported by the Electoral Law. And we are sure INEC and relevant authorities have taken note of this.

“His campaign has been divisive and inciting, yet he walks around spreading the propaganda of him being hunted. They commit visible crimes and turn around to play the victims.

“The quietness of the law enforcement agencies has emboldened him to spill the blood of an innocent woman. His desperation in the face of looming humiliation at the polls has undoubtedly put him in a very dangerous corner. Only Muritala Yakubu and the thugs he moves around with think he has a chance.

“Conduct your poll in Kogi State today, even in Igaland, you will find that he is not even near the top two contenders in the forthcoming governorship election. The reason is that the good people of Igaland, having followed his activities over the years, and knowing that he lacks the intellectual capacity to represent them, would rather go with responsible candidates.

“He is not even near the list of hopeful contenders. He will be roundly defeated at the Poll and he will still account for his sins against humanity.”

Fanwo also pointed out that the attention of the Council had been drawn to calls, by those he described as hired guns, on the Director General of the Campaign Council to resign his appointment, citing divisive reasons.

He said the Campaign Council DG, Prince Shaibu Abubakar Audu, had already made clear, his commitment to executing a campaign that would usher in the Ododo era of consolidation and continuity.

“No amount of ethnic parroting can distract the politically sagacious Minister of Steel Development, HM Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, from the historic task ahead. His late father, Prince Abubakar Audu, was committed to a united, prosperous and peaceful Kogi State. The Director General is only following his footsteps,” he said.

The statement in full:

KOGI STATE APC GOVERNORSHIP CAMPAIGN COUNCIL

PRESS BRIEFING

Gentlemen of the Press

1.Our Candidate for the November 11, 2023 Governorship election, Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo has remained uncompromisingly committed to an issue-based campaign that is devoid of violence, ethnocentric narratives or divisive tendencies.

Under the leadership of the Campaign Chairman, His Excellency Alh Yahaya Bello, CON, and the Director General, HM Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, our Campaign has been peaceful, uniting and a true reflection of the enduring legacies that have kept our party at the apex of political performance in our dear state.

2.Issue-based campaign entails tailoring our promises, assurances and social contract with the peace-loving people of our dear state through the media to the people. Ododo Ahmed Usman, OAU, wants the people of the state to be convinced by the legacies of the system he served in, his promises of consolidation and continuity, his antecedents and competence, as well as his message of unity. His clip to these ideals is iron cast.

3.We have invited you today to brief you of certain developments as we race to November 11, 2023. Chief among them was the gruesome murder of an unarmed woman at Kotonkarfe by people suspected to be the armed thugs of the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Alh. Muritala Yakubu Ajaka. While we commiserate with the family and the entire people of Kotonkarfe; we call on security agencies to ensure that those who threatened to kill and went ahead to kill have undoubtedly declared war on the Nigerian state, whose responsibility it is to protect the poor woman who was killed by bullets from the barrels of the SDP riffles.

4.It is on record that the SDP Candidate already said the Commissioner of Police was not aware of his rally. The rally was a satanic ambush on the peace-loving people of Kotonkarfe, leaving in its wake, the blood of an innocent woman whose only sin was belonging to the All Progressives Congress. We call on the supporters of our party to remain calm as security agencies are trusted to ensure that killers don’t walk freely without consequences. The Kogi State APC Campaign Council will await the full reports of the security agencies.

The initial statement of the Police authorities have been reassuring. There must be justice for the murdered soul. It is high time Kogites called the blood-sucking campaign of the SDP to order. Elections are won on the ballot and not via the bullet. Even in the face of glaring provocation, our party and our campaign will remain peaceful and play according to the rules of the game.

5.The unguarded, inflammatory and acidic statements of the SDP candidate, Alh. Muritala Yakubu Ajaka on national television have not gone unnoticed. What is of surprise to us is how he gets away after calling a whole ethnic group “a common enemy”. He also said they were ready for violence. His utterances and actions are not supported by the Electoral Law. And we are sure INEC and relevant authorities have taken note of this.

His campaign has been divisive and inciting, yet he walks around spreading the propaganda of him being hunted. They commit visible crimes and turn around to play the victims. The quietness of the law enforcement agencies has emboldened him to spill the blood of an innocent woman. His desperation in the face of looming humiliation at the polls has undoubtedly put him in a very dangerous corner. Only Muritala Yakubu and the thugs he moves around with think he has a chance. Conduct your poll in Kogi State today, even in Igala land, you will find that he is not even near the top two contenders in the forthcoming governorship election. The reason is that the good people of Igala land, having followed his activities over the years, and knowing that he lacks the intellectual capacity to represent them, would rather go with responsible candidates. He is not even near the list of hopeful contenders. He will be roundly defeated at the Poll and he will still account for his sins against humanity. 

6.We salute the people of Kotonkarfe for their perseverance and calm in the face of an unprovoked invasion and murder. We assure you of justice. The murdered won’t die in vain. Muritala Yakubu Ajaka must pay for the blood of the innocent woman.

7.In his characteristic way, the SDP candidate through his media handlers had claimed the poor woman was bearing arm. But they never showed us the arm she was bearing. The claim was a desperate attempt at sweeping the murder they committed under the carpet. You don’t kill the people who hold a contrary belief to yours. It was crude, criminal and callous.

8.Also, our attention has been drawn to calls by some hired guns, calling on the Director General of the Campaign Council to resign his appointment, citing divisive reasons for the call. The Director General of the Campaign Council is committed to executing a campaign that will usher in the Ododo era of consolidation and continuity.

No amount of ethnic parroting can distract the politically sagacious Minister of Steel Development, HM Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, from the historic task ahead. His late father, Prince Abubakar Audu, was committed to a united, prosperous and peaceful Kogi State. The Director General is only following his footsteps. It is obvious that the rising profile of the Minister and his unassailable inroads into the hearts of the people of Kogi State has become the nightmare of these befuddled politicians.

9.On the Supreme Court case between our Candidate and Sen. Smart Adeyemi, we have chosen not to be involved in prejudice, hence we will not make any serious comments on it. It is before a competent court of jurisdiction and they will determine whether his claims are justifiable or not. Our lawyers have shown proofs of the fact that primary was held. The lower court and the Appeal Court agreed with them. We will await the Supreme Court verdict.