Less than 24 hours to local government election in Kogi state, opposition parties in the state are threatening to boycott the polls over allegation of irregularities by the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC) in favour of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The opposition parties; Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) All Nigeria people’s party (ANPP) and Congress of Progressive Change (CPC) have jointly withdrawn from participating in the forthcoming council poll, noting that if they fail to participate there will be no result to be declared.
The opposition leaders and their supporters holding placard with different inscription written on it, gathered inside the residence of the leader of the ACN in Kogi State; Mr Abubakar Audu, where they agreed to boycott the local council poll slated for Saturday.
While addressing journalist and supporters of the opposition parties, the spokesperson of the opposition parties and former member of the House of Representative; Honorable Dino Melaye stated that the opposition parties in the state have decided to boycott the local government election because the electoral commission has already compromised even before the election.
Mr Melaye who stated further that the chairman of the KOSIEC; Barrister Abraham Olaniran, is a card carry member of PDP who contested for a House of Assembly seat in 2011 and lost, “so there is no way he would conduct a free and fair election” he stated.
Also speaking, the House of Representative member representing Lokoja/Koto Karfe Federal Constituency and leader of the CPC) in the state; Hon Buba Jibrin noted that while distributing ballot boxes, KOSIEC has deliberately short-changed Lokoja local government by reducing boxes to 60 instead of 105.
That, according to the opposition leaders is the same story in Yagba west and others, hence the move by opposition parties to boycott the local polls.
At the state INEC office, the chairman was said not to have been on seat to speak to reporters but the special adviser on media and strategy reacted saying that the opposition parties’ allegations are baseless.
After the briefing the protesting opposition party members marched through the streets of Lokoja heading towards the office of the Commissioner of Police to air their grievances.
But they were not allowed into the premises by police officers who shot tear gas into the air to disperse the protesters.