‘Ballots, Not Bullets’: Yahaya Bello Warns Hoodlums To Steer Clear Kogi Governorship

The Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has sternly warned criminals and hoodlums to stay away from the upcoming governorship poll in the state.

Bello’s statement comes in response to Sunday’s attack on the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship campaign office in Lokoja, believed to have been carried out by suspected political thugs.

The SDP campaign office is located at Paparanda Square in Lokoja metropolis.

Speaking through Kingsley Fanwo, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Governor Bello called on security agencies in the state to investigate and fish out those behind the attack on the opposition political party.

“The Kogi State Government will continue to support the freedom of anyone and everyone to aspire to positions in line with the ethos of democratic values. Attacking the Campaign Office of any political party is criminal and would not be condoned.

“The government wishes to warn criminals and hoodlums to stay clear of the Kogi governorship poll as the State Government will deal with criminals as criminals.

“We also expect political parties to desist from making uninformed, malicious and inciting statements that are capable of disturbing the peace of the state,” Fanwo said in a news release on Monday.

The SDP deputy governorship candidate, Sam Abenemi, had in a reaction yesterday described the attack as “wicked, shocking, and uncalled for”.

The 2023 Kogi gubernatorial election will be held on November 11 to elect the successor of Governor Bello who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election to a third term.

The state’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), is seeking to retain power and had produced the state’s Auditor-General for Local Government, Ahmed Usman Ododo, as its candidate for the governorship poll.

Among Ododo’s major challengers is Senator Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).