Kogi guber: AA chairman alleges abduction of three witnesses at tribunal venue

NATIONAL Chairman of the Action Alliance ( AA), Kenneth Udeze, has confirmed the abduction, at the National Judicial Institute ( NJI), Abuja, of three witnesses that were meant to buttress the party’s petition. Political thugs on February, 26, 2024, allegedly abducted three witnesses associated with Olayinka Braimoh, the AA governorship candidate in the November 2023 election in Kogi.

The three witnesses, allegedly whisked away from NJI, venue of the tribunal, were identified as Idris Khadijat, Safiyat Muhammed and Abdulmalik Muhammed.

However, Chairman of All Progressives Congress ( APC) in Kogi, Abdullahi Bello, debunked the rumours. Bello, in the statement, categorically refuted the allegation that any of its supporters abducted the AA witnesses or even had any altercation with any witness. He described the allegation as false, coming from mischief makers bent on tarnishing the image of the party and whip up sentiments with the motive of prejudicing the mind of the tribunal and the public against the APC.

Speaking, yesterday, at the party’s National Secretariat in Kubwa, Abuja, when the Coalition of the United Political Parties ( CUPP), led by its secretary, Peter Ameh, visited, Udeze said: “It is a sad and terrible situation. I want to confirm officially that three of AA witnesses for that election petition tribunal were abducted, and they are still missing till today.

“This is the kind of country we find ourselves in. A situation where a governorship candidate sees some loopholes to prove that the election that was conducted in Kogi was not free and fair, and in order not to behave like thugs, he decided to explore the legal means to correct the anomaly in the election, only for intimidation to be coming from the APC government that won the election.

“I use this opportunity to really condemn the threats and intimidation against the AA candidate in Kogi. I am confirming it, it is exactly what happened.”