From Tunde Rahman, Lokoja
Commotion was let loose Sunday night as unidentified hoodlums suspected to be political thugs of a leading party in the state were alleged to have invaded the state secretariat of the Social Democratic Party and set it on fire .
According to an eye witness account, the incident was said have happened at the early hours of Monday morning.
The SDP state secretariat which was said to have been vandalized a couple of days ago is said to be located close to the APC state secretariat opposite the Lokoja local government secretariat along Murtala way, Lokoja.
At the earlier attack, it was learnt that the windows and doors of the Secretariat were shattered while banners, posters and other campaign materials at the Secretariat were also destroyed.
Confirming the incident while speaking on phone with our correspondent, the state chairman of the party, Mouktar Atima pointed accusing fingers at the ruling party who he alleged of “releasing their boys to unleash terror on our party. “
Atima said the development was a confirmation of the several threats received recently by the party’s candidate, Natasha Akpoti.
He said no amount of harrassment and/or destruction will deter the party and it’s Governorship candidate from contesting and winning the Saturday election saying they remain undaunted even as he appealed to party faithfuls not to be discouraged over the recent development.
In his reaction however, the spokesman of the APC campaign council, Kingsley Fanwo dispelled the allegation that the hoodlums that burnt down the party’s secretariat were sponsored by the ruling party.
According to him, the party and it’s candidate are currently busy campaigning round the state and “has no time for irrelevant issues’.
News Hub Mag! reports that when contacted, the state police commissioner, Hakeem Busari said the police were already aware of the destruction and stressed that investigations have already commenced to bring the culprits to book.
