APC And SDP Engage In Blame Game Over Attack On Kogi REC’s Residence

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) find themselves embroiled in a blame game following a recent attack on the residence of the Kogi State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Gabriel Longpet, by unidentified gunmen in the early hours of Friday.

Gunmen stormed the REC’s residence, firing shots indiscriminately, prompting both political parties to trade accusations in the aftermath of the incident.

The APC, in a press conference on Friday, pointed fingers at the defeated governorship candidate of the SDP, calling for his arrest and prosecution. Kingsley Fanwo, the Director of Media and Publicity of the APC Campaign Council, accused the SDP candidate and his supporters of exhibiting violence, holding them responsible for the attack on the REC’s residence.

Fanwo claimed that the attack followed the APC’s prior warnings about SDP thugs planning to assault the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He alleged that the assailants engaged security agents in a fierce gun battle, resulting in the burning of vehicles in the residence and the surrounding area.

According to Fanwo, the SDP and its collaborators aimed to destroy documents at INEC related to alleged misconduct in Kogi East, where they purportedly killed APC supporters and manipulated election results.

In contrast, the SDP vehemently denied any involvement in the attack. In a statement issued by David Ijele, the Director of New Media for the Muri/Sam Campaign Organisation, the party condemned the attempt on the life of the INEC Resident Commissioner, Dr. Hale Gabriel Longpet. Ijele emphasized that elections should not be treated as warfare and urged a fair and transparent legal process to resolve disputes.

The statement expressed gratitude for the Army’s timely intervention, preventing potential harm to the REC and his family. Ijele highlighted the attackers’ unacceptable behavior in a democratic society, condemning the destruction of property and theft during the incident.

As investigations unfold, the blame game between the APC and SDP adds complexity to the aftermath of the attack on the Kogi REC’s residence.