In a recent interview with Arise News from 14:25, Isaiah Davies Ijele, Director of New Media for the Muritala Ajaka Governorship Campaign Council, has made startling allegations regarding the conduct and aftermath of the Kogi State gubernatorial election. Ijele accused supporters of Governor Yahaya Bello, colloquially referred to as “Bello’s boys,” of plotting to destroy critical election evidence and engage in violence to undermine the election’s integrity.
“If Ajaka had openly said that he’s going to Court, trust me, Bello’s boys would have destroyed all the BVAS. Don’t forget, they gather all around. If not for Soldiers, they wanted to burn down the INEC office, to make sure the BVAS will not escape to Lokoja and that’s the reason the tribunal was transferred to Lokoja because of their violence,” Ijele stated during the interview.
These allegations come in the wake of the controversial Kogi State governorship election held on November 11, 2023, which declared Ahmed Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner. Muritala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has been vocal about his claims of widespread electoral malpractice, including over-voting and other irregularities.
Ajaka’s petition to the Kogi Governorship Election Petition Tribunal was dismissed on May 27, 2024, with the tribunal ruling that the petitioners failed to substantiate their allegations sufficiently. This decision has since been upheld by the Appeal Court, further solidifying Ododo’s victory….Seë_Morë
