By Akanimo Sampson
The governorship battle in Kogi State between the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is currently taking a turn for the worse with the key opposition figures being targeted.
In Kogi, it is becoming a common feature for opposition politicians to ‘’disappear’’ be abducted or assassinated. With the bloodletting by the Fulani herdsmen, and bandits in parts of the country yet to settle, the emerging nasty politics in Kogi is adding to dent the image of Nigeria the more and also provide critics the ammunition to fire at President Muhammadu Buhari.
Already, the PDP has sent President Buhari a hot distress call, urging him as the
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to address the worrisome development Kogi.
PDP Spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement this Tuesday evening said his party is charging the hierarchy of the armed security forces including the secret police, Department of State Services (DSS) to speak out on the alleged abduction of their Okene Local Government Chairman, Musa Adelabu, by gunmen reportedly dressed in military fatigue.
The party is expressing worries that three days after his abductors allegedly dared his family members that they were acting on “orders from above,’’ there had been no trace of his whereabouts.
According to the PDP, “It is completely unacceptable that since the public outcry by our party and members of his family over his violent abduction and despite the demands for his release, the high commands of the military, the police and the DSS have failed to speak out on the matter.
“This situation has heightened apprehensions of high-level partisan conspiracy to use some compromised security operatives against the opposition in Kogi, in a desperate bid to foist the APC and the failed Governor Yahaya Bello on the people of Kogi. Already, there is an ominous tension in Kogi following intelligence reports filtering into the public domain that our LG
Chairman is being tortured by his captors in a secret facility where his life is now in great danger.
“Such provocative situation is capable of sparking off serious crisis in Kogi, which location as gateway and convergence state, means a lot of dire consequences for our nation, in the event of any disturbances in the area. It is therefore completely unacceptable that the security high command is not forthcoming with concrete statement or decisive action to secure his release despite calls by our party and the people of Kogi.’’
