Ahead of the November 11 governorship candidate in Kogi, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has alleged an attack on its candidate, Murtala Ajaka.

In a statement on Sunday, Ajaka’s aide, Isaiah Davies Ijele, accused the state governor, Yahaya Bello, of attempting to assassinate his principal.

He alleged that the governor hired thugs to get rid of the SDP candidate barely a month before the governorship election in the state.

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“Thugs loyal to the Executive Governor of Kogi State today attempted to assassinate my principal and candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Alh. Murtala Yakubu Ajaka in Koton Karfi,” he claimed in the statement.

“The campaign trail of Ajaka was attacked when thugs and hired assassins shot sporadically on his convoy in a calculated attempt to end his life, maim and kill his supporters. It took the combined efforts of the security apparatus to repel the heinous, coordinated, and unprovoked attack.”

He lamented that some SDP supporters sustained life-threatening injuries, adding that some of the party’s campaign materials were damaged with supporters scared also.

Ijele urged the Federal Government and security agencies to call the governor to order, saying no individual is greater than the laws of the land.

In a swift reaction, the Kogi State Police Command said it received a report on the purported attack on the SDP campaign in the Koton-Karfe area of the state.

Police spokesman in the state, William Ovye Aya, said some persons were believed to have been injured in the process.

He sympathised with all victims of political violence in the state, condemning the incident in strong terms.

The police spokesman explained that the Commissioner of Police, Bethrand Onuoha, has ordered an investigation into the matter.

“The CP further directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to commence a thorough, diligent, and wholistic investigation of all acts of political violence, accusations, and counter-accusations on all the political parties and actors with a view to bringing all offenders to book,” he said in a statement.

“The CP assures of the Command’s unwavering commitment to the protection of all lives and property in the State.”