Two killed in Kogi Bye-election as violence, intimidation and vote buying reigned

Two persons identified as a political thugs lost their lives at two polling units as they attempted to snatch ballot boxes during the lokoja/Kogi bye election.

At the NEPA Polling Unit in Lokoja one of the ulucky thugs was beaten to death after attempting to disrupt the process by snatching the ballot box at the unit during the Lokoja-Kogi bye-election.
An eye witness account indicated that the deceased had successfully snatched the ballot box but youths at the unit who were opposed to the disruption of the process intercepted the hoodlum after which they retrieved the ballot box.
It was further gathered that the mob descended on the deceased and in the process the gun in his pocket triggered off killing him on the spot.
Confirming the death of the hoodlum the police public relations office William Aya said it was true that a person attempting to snatch baklot box was beaten to death.
Howrver he said he was not aware he was carrying a short gun in his pocket. He confirmed that the deceased bosy was retrieved and has been deposited in at the Federal Mediacal Center murtuary.
The police spokes person said they were on the trail of the killers
Another political thug Yahaya Musa Umoru who also attempted to snatch a ballot box was beaten to death at the polling Unit near Maigarin Lokoja palace.
Meanwhile ballot boxes were snatched in 21 polling units in Lokoja Local Government
Also a former senator in the Kogi West senatorial district was allegedy booed when he appeared in one of the polling Unit where he was not registered but deployed to do some persons bidding.
The Lokoja/ Kogi Federal Constituency bye election which was acasioned by the death of former deputy majority leader, Buba Jibril in the House of Representatives in Kogi was overtaken by violence, vote buying and outright intimidation for which the APC led government in the state has been accused by the opposition parties.
There have been acusation and counter acusation on who is really the mastermind of the violence as the Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello had also accussed two former Governors of importing thugs from Bayeslsa and Nassarawa States.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the election Abubakar Bashiru at his polling Unit Ward 001 Gegu South said though the election was going on smoothly at his unit but reports reaching him has given him cause for apprehension.
He said in Lokoja at ward B paparanda polling Unit Government officials led thugs to disrupt the election carting away the ballot box and destroying almost everything in sight.
In Paparanda and Karaworo voting units in lokoja metropolis l, there were reports of heavy intimidation and harassment of voters by government agents and political appointees. A PDP stalwart, Mohammed Balga was said to have been beaten black and blue.
In ward B, some people who dressed in police uniform with red beret were said to have besieged two polling units shooting sporadically and carting away the voting materials.
There were also reported sharp practices at the Osuku primary school voting unit in Kotokarfi Local government area as there were reported sporadic gunshots to scare away opposition party from coming out to vote.
As at 11.30 am when reporters visited the place, there was no single person that was allowed to vote as those who came out were only allowed to do accreditation while the voting would be done in favour of the APC.
The INEC presiding official, Joseph Julius told reporters that they were arm twisted to follow the bidding of the APC and they had to play along to save their lives.
The local government administrator ,Mohammed Tanko is from the ward.

Meanwhile, a one time Secretary to Government of Kogi state, Alh Musa Ahmadu decried the involvement of government officials and security agents in carrying and displaying arms in the ongoing Lokoja Kogi federal constituency bye election.

The former scribe while speaking to journalists, accused government functionaries of openly carrying arms against the tenets of the electoral law.
Alh Musa called on President Mohammadu Buhari to call the security agencies to order, else their action and that of the Governor may make the integrity of the Lokoja/Kogi federal constituency a nullity.
At the Lokoja ward D where one of the constestants, and immediate speaker of the house, Umar Imam voted, he alleged that the Government marred the election with the use of thugs and security personnel beating and arresting the opposition.
Umar alleged that his younger brother, was taken to government house with his agents where they were beaten and tortured.
Responding to reporters’ question, the Zonal commissioner of INEC, Mohammed Haruna said the commission will not hesitate to cancel the result of any area where there are reported violence and malpractices.
In his words, “Anywhere there is disruption if the violence is sufficient enough and there are threats to our officials we will cancel the election.
“We are going round now the REC and Myself to access the situation to know whether to cancel the election or to bring reinforcement to continue with the election.
“INEC does things according to its own rules and now it is accreditation and voting simultaneously so anything that is contrary to that is not acceptable to INEC and I am assuring you that we will comply strictly with our rules so anywhere where there are violations of those rules we would act accordingly.”
On the issue of vote buying, he said, “Vote buying is illegal and anywhere there is vote buying as much as we can, we would prosecute people that we apprehend and anything that violates our procedures for election we would act accordingly which is essentially to cancel the election.”