The Civil Liberty Organization (CLO) has called on President Bola Tinubu to call Governor Yahaya Bello to order ahead of the November 11 governorhip election in Kogi State.
The CLO also condemned reports of alleged attacks on supporters and campaign offices of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) ahead of the poll.
Executive Director of the organisation, Comrade Steve Aluko, made the call while
speaking with journalists in Jos, Plateau State, on the pre-election violence in parts of Kogi State.
He said as the number one security officer in Kogi State, Bello is responsible for the situation and should ensure that electoral violence is completely stopped
“Therefore there is a need to call him to order because the violence and killings that happened in the state during the last 2019 election, especially on opposition parties and their candidates, including the setting ablaze of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) women leader in Ochadamu, should not repeat itself.
“Those incidences are still fresh in peoples’ minds, and so everything possible must be done to halt recurrence of such as there are reports of planned violence on the state during the course of the election,” the CLO leader said.
He called on the President to declare a State of Emergency on security in the state if the violence continues.
Adding that election is supposed to be free, fair and crisis free, before, during and after the election, he stressed said all political parties should be given equal opportunities and freedom to contest and campaign for elective office without fear of intimidation.
Aluko added, “If Tinubu does not interfere in the issue of the state and call the governor to order, it will appear that the President or the All Progressive Congress (APC) at the national level has a hand in the violence going on in Kogi State.
Aluko noted that since it is the first election being conducted under Tinubu’s watch, it will be an indictment on his part as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces if such political violence and intimidation is allowed to continue.
