Posted by By EMMANUEL ADEYEMI, Lokoja on
Attempt by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to broker peace among the political gladiators contesting the March 29 governorship by-election in Kogi State ended in deadlock on Thursday with the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) standard bearer, Prince Abubakar Audu and Senator Tunde Ogbeha, who represented the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), almost engaging each other in a physical bout.
•Audu, Ogheha in shouting bout
Attempt by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to broker peace among the political gladiators contesting the March 29 governorship by-election in Kogi State ended in deadlock on Thursday with the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) standard bearer, Prince Abubakar Audu and Senator Tunde Ogbeha, who represented the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), almost engaging each other in a physical bout.
The peace meeting, held at the INEC headquarters, Lokoja and attended by Audu and Alhaji Mohammed Ohiare, his running mate, the Democratic People's Party (DPP) governorship candidate, Professor Yusuf Obaje, along with his running mate and all other political stakeholders in the state, was underway when Senator Ogbeha arrived an hour later.
Ogbeha stirred the hornet's nest when he called on INEC to appeal to Audu to ask his supporters standing outside the INEC gate, to allow him easy passage as his entry into the meeting was almost stalled. He also accused INEC of not extending a letter of invitation to the PDP for the peace meeting.
One of the INEC officials swiftly called the attention of Ogbeha to the letter of invitation extended to the PDP, which was acknowledged by the party's state secretary, Alhaji Abdul Kokori.
Audu rose from his seat, fuming with anger and pointing to the direction of Ogbeha, said: 'Why do you take delight in telling lies?" Turning to the INEC officials, he said: 'It is true that my supporters are outside the gate, but if you find gun or any weapon with any of them, either here or outside the gate or during the election, then I will personally disqualify myself from contesting for the election. It is the PDP that is harassing us with its thugs. They carry guns harassing opposition parties and innocent people all over the place."
As the atmosphere was getting charged, the representative of the INEC chairman at the meeting, Alhaji Mohammed Jamare, appealed to all political leaders to embrace peace. He said the purpose of the meeting was to proffer solutions to the lingering political crises in the state, stressing that what was needed was solution and not confrontation.
Ogbeha interjected, pointing to the direction of Audu and saying: 'Look at this idiot calling me a liar; it is you who is a pathological liar. You must learn how to address with decorum."
At this point, some security personnel quickly intervened to prevent the war of words from degenerating to fisticuffs. This was even as party supporters hurled abuses and unprintable words at one another before the representative of INEC chairman quickly brought the meeting to an abrupt end.
Jamare, the INEC chairman's representative, said the meeting could no longer continue in that charged atmosphere and rescheduled it for next Wednesday at the INEC headquarters in Abuja with only the governorship candidates of all the parties and their respective party chairmen in attendance.
As the crowd was dispersing, Audu rushed to shake hands with Ogbeha, who snubbed him, saying: 'You cannot call me a liar and want to have handshake with me. You'd better go and resolve your problem with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who charged you to court for financial scandal."
Audu hurriedly left the scene with his supporters.
Addressing newsmen later, the INEC director of public affairs, Pastor Segun Adeogun, appealed to politicians to allow their conscience guide them in their activities, stressing: 'Violence is against the will of God and whoever engages in violence, the repercussion is always there and on the last day God shall hold such a person responsible."