– The Kogi state government alleges that Senator Dino Melaye is planning to launch a campaign of calumny against the government of Kogi
– The spokesman for the Kogi governor, Kingsley Fanwo, claims the lawmaker is planning to attack defenceless people with armed thugs in the Kupa section of the Lokoja local government area
– Fanwo urges Melaye to campaign in a way that is peaceful by adhering to rules laid down by constituted authorities charged with the responsibility of ensuring peaceful campaigns
The Kogi state government has accused the senator representing Kogi west senatorial district, Dino Melaye, of plotting to destabilise the state by causing mayhem.
The accusation was made by the spokesperson to the governor, Kingsley Fanwo, who claimed that the office of the state security adviser had uncovered the plan by the lawmaker to destabilise the state, The Punch reports.
“According to the highly credible report, the senator is planning to visit the Kupa area in the Lokoja Local Government Area to launch campaign of calumny against the government of Kogi State. The choice of Kupa was informed by the solid support of the APC in the area,” the state government alleged
“It is expected that the people will resist the use of ‘Dino language’ on the government, which will lead to attack on the defenceless people by the armed thugs which Dino is planning to convey to the place.
“The intelligence also revealed that the thugs to be imported from a neighbouring state where a political godfather just lost a House of Reps election, are to wear black T-Shirts with the inscription, ‘DSS’ to create an impression that they are security operatives. The thugs are to be conveyed in a white Hilux vehicle. A notorious thug from Lokoja has also been co-opted into the Satanic plan.”
Fanwo said the state government was not opposed to anyone campaigning for votes but urged Melaye to do so in a way that is peaceful by adhering to rules laid down by constituted authorities charged with the responsibility of ensuring peaceful campaigns.
Meanwhile, the campaign team of Senator Dino Melaye has alleged that members of the opposition in Kogi state were being harassed by All Progressives Congress (APC) and agents of Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
Chief Shola Ojo, the director general of the Dino Melaye senatorial campaign organisation, made the allegations during the inaugural meeting of the team recently, The Tribune reports.
The campaign team alleged that Dino Melaye’s campaign billboards were being destroyed on the orders of local government caretaker administrators in several locations of the state.
