Thugs suspected to be loyal to Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, have attacked the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Natasha Akpoti, at the political stakeholders meeting organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lokoja.
This comes amid tension brewing in the state as it prepares for the polls on November 16.
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In a tweet on Tuesday, Akpoti said she was pushed to the ground and denied entrance into the meeting in the presence of police officers and INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
“I’ve just been attacked, pushed to the ground and denied entrance by Yahaya Bello’s @OfficialAPCNg into the Political Stakeholders meeting organized by @inecnigeria in Lokoja. 500 @PoliceNG watched doing nothing. Prof. Mahmood, Comm of Police were in there and did nothing,” she said.
The attack on Akpoti comes less than 48 hours after the state party secretariat was set ablaze by thugs reportedly loyal to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
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Following the attack, the SDP has refused to sign the Peace Accord.
The Federal High Court, Abuja had on November 7 ordered INEC to restore Akpoti as SDP governorship candidate, saying the commission had no power to disqualify any candidate for an election “as it is the exclusive reserve of a competent court of law.”
