…as Ajaka, Dino kicks over pre-filled election results in OgoriMagongo
…We will investigate the matter INEC
Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has described the electoral violence in the ongoing Kogi State governorship poll as a media creation, saying there was never electoral violence under his administration.
Governor Bello made this remark at Okene after he cast his vote at his Agassa Uvette polling unit.
According to him, the state under his administration have been peaceful and there no violence-related issue under his watch.
“First of all, the issue of electoral violence in Kogi State, in my own time, is a media creation. For those that are not on the ground here in Kogi State, go into history, go into records, and compare my regime and that of the previous ones.”
“You will discover that the regime of Governor Yahaya Bello’s conduct of elections has been the most free, fair, credible, and violence-free elections. So the issue of violence in our election in Kogi State is a media creation.
“It’s a figment of the imagination of all those who do not want good things to happen here in Kogi State,” the Governor said.
He however commended INEC and the security agency for conducting themselves for the peaceful exercise.
“It is timely, all materials were deployed within the time stipulated and so far I have not received any complaint from any quarter. The conduct of INEC so far has been so fantastic.”
“All the security agencies have conducted themselves so far, very professionally. All the citizens that are exercising their franchise are doing that freely.”
“There are no hitches, no rancour. We are united, and we are happy over this exercise and by the special grace of God, we are going to come out very triumphant in this particular exercise.”
“The INEC is doing its job very well and the security agencies are equally assisting. 2019 general elections went as far as to the Supreme Court and various other courts where one issue or the other concerning the election were contested and I was cited.”
“The Supreme Court of the land has exonerated me that those who are mentioning me or are maligning me or associating me with violence cannot succeed because I am peaceful, I am a peace-loving citizen and a governor.”
Meanwhile, the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Alhaji Muritala Yakubu Ajaka has equally commended the INEC for the smooth run of the exercise so far.
Ajaka who stated this shortly after casting his vote at his Okotonowa Polling Unit 005 in Owolapa Ward in Idah, however, called the attention of INEC over the alleged irregularities going on at Ogorimagongo, Okene, and Adavi local government areas respectively.
He stressed that the election is about the liberation of the oppressed, saying that the people of the state have already been disgruntled hence the opportunity to liberate themselves.
Also, the Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Dino Melaye in a video, alleged that there was no result sheet in all the polling units at Ogorimagongo local government area.
He therefore urged his party agent and supporters across the state, to decline accreditation if the result sheets in their polling unit are pre-filled.
But the Independent National Electoral Commission, in its X (Twitter) handle has said it has already set up an investigation into the allegations.
“Our attention has been drawn to a report that filled result sheets were discovered in some polling units in Kogi State.”
“The Commission views this situation seriously.”
“Our senior officials deployed to the State are currently investigating the incident(s). The Commission will communicate its decision earnestly.”
