The attention of the Social Democratic Party’s campaign council in Kogi State has been drawn to a defamatory and incoherent press briefing done by the All Progressives Congress campaign council in Lokoja, Kogi State capital.
The briefing which was nothing but a clear attempt towards character assassination against the personalities of SDP candidates and their supporters was spare-headed by the information commissioner to the drowning administration of Gov. Yahaya Bello, Kingsley Fanwo and his cronies. While we could have overlooked the kindergarten political activities of these desperados, it is important to clear the air against possible wrong perception of the image of the Social Democratic Party in preparation for the November 11th election.
To this end, as a campaign council we wish to clear the air as follows:
1.. Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka and all his supporters are law abiding, steadfast, and respecters of the laid down principles of democracy and the all binding Electoral Act unlike the APC, her supporters and the candidate they are finding difficult to push down the throat of Kogites.
2.. The Campaign of the SDP has been and will continue to be issue-based, devoid of any ethnic colouration. Our campaign is anchored on the promises of saving Kogi State from the hands of individuals milking her resources dry, impoverishing the populace, ethnically dividing the state, percentage salaries payment, rebuilding the collapsed infrastructures of the state, creating a peaceful environment where businesses and unity will thrive and putting Kogi on the path of prosperity.
3.. There is no healthy legacy for Ododo anywhere in Kogi state to build on outside continuing in the stinking path of Yahaya Bello, his godfather. It is laughable and misleading that the campaign council is trying so hard to portray divisive Ododo as a unifying individual. Is it not funny that an Ododo that cannot address Kogites is being paraded as a competent candidate over Murtala Yakubu Ajaka that constantly relates his plans and ideas to Kogites?
4.. On the sad issue of Koton Karfe, the SDP and her supporters were peaceful, uncompromising, law-abiding but were wickedly attacked by thugs working the APC. As it was expected, the APC lied about the lady not bearing arms. The background and the history of the deceased will further prove her activities as a thug in town. There is a video evidence of peaceful gathering SDP supporters before APC thugs invaded the venue with guns and machetes, destroying the venue, injuring our supporters and shooting sporadically at our convoy. Contrary to the position of Mr. Fanwo and the APC, it was our supporters that were attacked. It is already evident that the APC unleashed terror on the peace loving people of Koton Karfe because of their love for Murtala Yakubu Ajaka. The unanswered question is what is an APC supporter doing in an SDP rally?
5.. We wish to state categorically that it is not true that the commissioner of police and other relevant authorities in the state were not aware of the SDP rally in Koton Karfe on that fateful day. What is true is that the APC ambushed the good people of Koton Karfe to cause panic and deter their resolve for the candidacy of Murtala Yakubu Ajaka. This they failed to achieve because after the attacks and destruction the people still came out to receive Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, confirming their support for him.
6.. There is no time that our principal either privately or publicly called any ethnic group “a common enemy”. The video clip of his outing on Channels television is on the internet for everyone to listen and watch. In that interview, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka harped on “Governor Yahaya Bello as the common enemy of the people ”. Indeed he is the common enemy of the people because he deliberately divided the Kogi political environment across ethnic lines, he is a terror to his subjects and made them suffer untold hardship. A Governor that excavated federal roads, refused paying salaries, and attacked political opponents rightly earned his title as the “common enemy of the people”.
7.. The APC cannot win in a peaceful and transparent contest.
8.. The good people of Kogi state will vote Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka against an Ododo that is unworthy, incompetent and tribalistic. By far, Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka is the most accepted candidate for the 11/11/2023 election.
9.. The security institutions of the state must remain neutral in the service of Kogites and Nigerians. They must resist the urge to be induced into playing politics and siding with the oppressor of the people. As a peace loving party, we are calling on them to thoroughly investigate the saddening incident in Koton Karfe and hold those behind it accountable. Pictorial evidence and video clips of the unprovoked attack of the SDP and her supporters are on the internet for people to deduce from while waiting for a comprehensive police report.
10.. To test the competency of Murtala Yakubu Ajaka and Alhaji Usman Ododo, we are challenging the APC candidate to a live debate on any media platform of his choice. It is high time Bello tuned down his desperation for this unachievable third term bid and allow Ododo to tell Kogites what he has to offer. If he is too timid and incompetent to address Kogites, his godfather Yahaya Bello can stand for him.
11.. The media handlers of Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka are objectively minded people who are centrally focused on dishing out valid information.
We appreciate the good people of Koton Karfe for standing against the invasion of the APC and maintaining their support for Murtala Yakubu Ajaka in the face of threats and attacks. Be rest assured that Murtala Yakubu Ajaka and the SDP will repay your love and steadfastness to the restoration movement.
Elections are not won by violence, intimidation and division, it is time for the APC and Bello to stop the violent attacks on the SDP and her supporters. Since the APC is claiming that her candidate is popular, let them stop the attacks and allow the people decide who to govern them through the ballot.
Isaiah Davies Ijele
DG New Media MuriSam Campaign Council.
02/10/2023.