Kogi: Thugs Stone Wada at Election Tribunal

Former Governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada

Tobi Soniyi in Abuja

It was a near-tragic outing for former Governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada, on Tuesday as thugs hauled stones at his vehicle at the State governorship election tribunal sitting at the Jabi district of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The incident occurred about 1:35 pm at the premises of an Abuja High Court where the tribunal was located.

Wada was at the tribunal where he is challenging the return of Alhaji Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the November 21, and December 5, state governorship election.

The thugs who besieged his vehicle outside the tribunal chanting solidarity songs in favour of APC, later went wild and started hauling stones at his vehicle.

His driver sensing danger quickly sped off at a neck- breaking speed even as security operatives were left helpless.

Reacting to the development, the governor described the attack on him as barbaric, acts of beastality and in responsibility to recourse to acts of thuggery.

His Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Jacob Edi who spoke on the matter condemned the development in its totality.

“To think that this took place in the premises of a court of law is highly condemnable whoever their paymasters are. For us, no condition will make us recourse to thuggery.

“Thuggery in obsolete and no longer lucrative. One of the cardinal achievements of Capt. Wada is that he put an end to thuggery because he believed that energies of the youth should be put into productive use and not destructive acts.”

Meanwhile, the tribunal has adjourned hearing of the petition between the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Yahaya Bello to April 11 and 12, 2016.
The petition by Labour Party (LP) against Yahaya Bello was adjourned to April 6 and 7, 2016.

In the petition by Wada, proceedings were stalled following the inability of counsel to parties to resolve the issues arising from the schedule of documents to be tendered by the petitioner.

Accordingly, the tribunal adjourned till April 13.

Wada’s petition, which is been handled by Chief Chris Uche, (SAN) leading two other Senior Advocates of Nigeria among other lawyers, had the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Alhaji Bello and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as respondents