Election Violence: SDP Tells Tinubu to Call Bello to Order

•Promises to make him pay for alleged atrocities

Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja

The Social Democratic Party (SDP), has urged President Bola Tinubu to call Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State to order following the June 3 election violence in the state.

In the wake of  last week’s clash between the governor’s supporters and the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Alhaji Muritala Alaka, the National Chairman of the SDP, Mr. Shehu Gabam, urged Tinubu to Bello to order.

Gabam, who made the call at a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Abuja, Wednesday, said Bello would pay nationally and internationally for all his alleged acts of atrocity as governor of the state.

“The sarcasm and the allegory of the ‘lion and antelope’ of the governor is odious, reckless, primitive, vexatious and condemnable, and the president should caution and call him to order, and be made to know that going forward, he will be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order or the loss of any soul in Kogi State before, during and after the governorship election.

“Certainly, every documented act of crime against humanity, which happened under the watch of Governor Yahaya Bello will be interrogated locally and internationally in due course, when his immunity is no more, and he will be made to pay for his crimes,” the SDP National Chairman said.

He also noted that his party would press criminal charges against the thugs and individuals, who were identified to have carried out the shooting attacks, the damage done to several vehicles and the act of arson on two vehicles by those he described as the governor’s killer squad, who unleashed the terror attack on its governorship candidate.

“The party has submitted a comprehensive petition on the attack to the Office of the President and heads of security agencies calling on Mr. President to order the Nigeria Police to swiftly conduct a thorough investigation of the assassination attack on Alhaji Muritala Yakubu Ajaka, and nip in the bud, the prevailing regime of reckless abuse of executive and state powers in Kogi State, which is inimical to democratic consolidation, peace and human security,” Gabam said.

He urged the federal government to provide security for all before, during and after the forthcoming governorship election in Kogi State, adding that it should do all that is necessary to ensure that Kogi State was made safe for all its citizens and other Nigerians who were domiciled in its territory, and to create a congenial environment to guarantee a peaceful election and a credible outcome.

In his remarks, Ajakat promised to make Kogi people part of his government by bringing development to them when elected governor.

“What I will do differently from the present government is to make the people feel the good impact of government and make them part of the government,” he said.