APC denies being behind attack on Kogi election tribunal secretary

The All Progressive Congress (APC), has cautioned opposition parties over what it described as rhetoric comments against its party, accusing it of being responsible for the recent attack on the Secretary of the Kogi State Election Petition Tribunal, David Mike.

The APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said this in a statement on Thursday.

Kogi State Police Command on Monday confirmed that gunmen attacked Mike in Lokoja and made away with sensitive petition documents on the just concluded gubernatorial election in the state.

According to the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP William Aya, the armed attackers, wielding guns, targeted Mike and his colleagues just before the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) office around 1:20 PM on Monday, December 04, 2023.

Morka said the remarks made by the state’s opposition leaders, are still stirring animosity and passion, creating a heated environment that could lead to an increase in violence in the state.

Morka said, “We condemn, as dangerous, the incendiary rhetoric of opposition figures in Kogi state who continue to inflame passion and incite strife. Their actions and utterances provide a charged atmosphere for escalation of violence in the state.

“We especially condemn the reported attack against the Secretary of the Election Tribunal, Mike Umar David, on Monday, December 4, 2023, in very spurious circumstances. The SDP clearly has a lot of explaining to do regarding this incident. Their utterances and actions, prior to, and since, that incident, betray suspicious special knowledge of the incident.

“Prior to Monday’s incident involving the Tribunal’s Secretary, the residence of the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Gabriel Hale Longpet, was also attacked on Friday, December 1, 2023 by armed hoodlums.

“These and other acts of violence in Kogi state are barbaric, undemocratic and unacceptable. The people of Kogi State deserve to live in peace and security. These sponsored and senseless acts of violence must stop.

“We note and welcome the statement by the Kogi Police Command of an ongoing investigation of the alleged attack on the Secretary to the Election Tribunal and the Resident Electoral Commissioner. We urge the Police to do so thoroughly and expeditiously, and to bring the perpetrators and their sponsors to justice.”