The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Mopamuro Local Government Area, LGA, of Kogi State has boycotted today’s rescheduled House of Assembly election.
Recalled that the State Houses of Assembly Elections held across the country yesterday, but that of Mopamuro LGA State Constituency was slated for today because the ballot papers of Ankpa LGA were wrongly sent to the constituency according to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
A former deputy governor of Kogi and chieftain of PDP in the area, Yomi Awoniyi, who confirmed the boycott in a statement on Sunday, said the development followed consultations with leadership of the party in Mopa-Muro LG, Zonal and state levels.
The withdrawal, according to Awoniyi, was essentially to save lives and property in view of the violence that characterised the Saturday’s polls.
“The brazen ballot box snatching that was experienced in the adjoining local government areas in the yesterday’s elections; the shooting of party agents in a very senseless manner and harassment of PDP candidates in adjoining local government areas, particularly that of Yagba West, to be specific and the influx of hoodlums from outside Mopamuro is worrisome.
“The incessant gunshots, which had reigned the skies at night for the last three days, and the Mopamuro House of Assembly election being a stand alone where all the apparatus of thuggery would be unleashed on Mopamuro, the party feels our victory is not worth the blood of any citizen of this local government area,” he said in a statement.
He enjoined PDP agents and supporters to stay off the election.
According to the statement, a letter of boycott, signed by PDP local government party chairman in Mopa-Muro, Olasunmol Fatobi had been submitted to the Kogi State Independent National Electoral Commission.
