It was a case of the Inspector General of Police also cries in Kofi on Tuesday when the IGP, Muhammed Adamu, alongside other stakeholders suffered collateral tear gas during a meeting.
Also affected was the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission Chairman, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu, along with National Commissioners of the INEC.
It was at a stakeholders’ meeting/signing of peace accord among political parties and candidates, organised by INEC, with senior police officers and loads of their well-armed men on standby.
In the course of the event, there was an uproar occasioned by efforts of some people described as the thugs of the ruling party to prevent the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Natasha Akpoti, from entering the venue of the event.
The situation became so rowdy that the police had to fire tear gas, the effect of which, however, spread into the event’s hall, affecting all occupants, including the IGP, who was seen covering his nose.
Noting that the SDP candidate arrived late to the event INEC Spokesperson, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said:
“We are inside the hall and wouldn’t know what is going on outside. One thing is sure: she did not arrive in good time as of the time the event started, but that is not enough reason for anybody to prevent her from coming inside. She has a right to take her place inside the hall.
“We have heard that she is outside and efforts are currently being made to bring her inside the hall. We need her to sign the Peace Accord, the process of which is currently on. We asked the Legal Officer of our Kogi State Office to go outside the hall and look for Natasha Akpoti, but he came back and reported that he searched the entire premises but could neither locate her nor her entourage.
“Now, the representative of the SDP inside the hall was asked to endorse the Peace Accord, but he refused,” Oyekanmi explained.
Meanwhile, candidates of opposition political parties have raised the alarm over what they described as continued intimidation and oppression of their chieftains and members. Governorship candidate of the PDP, Engr. Musa Wada, while speaking at the event, demanded that the Inspector-General of Police to intervene in the plight of the opposition in Kogi state, saying their members are afraid for their lives
