A group of Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) leaders from Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State has sent a Save our Soul (SoS) to the state governor, Captain Idris Wada over alleged threats and plan to terminate their members by a faction of the party led by Alhaji Ahmed Ogembe, who is the party’s chairmanship candidate for the forthcoming council poll.
Members of the group led by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Momoh Jimoh Lawal stormed government house to submit their petition to Governor Idris Wada.
The Speaker informed the governor that the chairmanship candidate of the party in Okene local government, Alhaji Ahmed Ogembe has constituted a strike force which he now use to harass and intimidate members of their group over his attempt to drop the vice chairmanship candidate allocated to the group by the state governor during the meeting they held with him where the governor directed them to support the choice of Ogembe as the party candidate for the chairmanship position.
Also speaking, the spokesman of the group, Dr. Yahaya Ogrima told the governor that the faction led by Ogembe has been harassing, torturing and killing their people in order to keep them out of circulation.
He added that, “death threats are daily being issued on us and on the leader of the group, Alhaji Yahaya Karaku, a Special Adviser to the Governor, and other illustrious sons and daughters Okene for no just cause”
“As a father we are aware that your words carry heavy weight therefore we cannot contest Your Excellency’s decision on the congresses and primary elections as regards Okene LGA in good faith. However, we are disturbed that despite the sportsmanship displayed by not contesting against your advice, the harmonised list of party executives endorsed by Your Excellency is still being kept away from us while they now peddle around new lists of their own choosing”
Ogirima also state that, “it is our desire to notify you that the sharing formula presided over by you (governor) in which the position of Vice Chairman, secretary and five councillors were given to our group, the vice chairmanship position is presently being threatened without the slightest regard for what you laboured to build”
In his remarks, Governor Idris Wada appealed to the group to be calm and be peaceful, promising that his administration will look into their protest with a view of resolving the problem amicably between the two groups.
He urged them to cooperate with each other and forge a common front ahead of the forthcoming local government election in order for the ruling PDP to win in Okene LGA.
