By Polycarp Auta
The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) has threatened to sue Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi over the consistent attacks on opposition parties, ahead of the November 11 governorship polls in the state.
The Director of the organisation, Mr Steve Aluko, said this during an interactive session with newsmen in Jos on Tuesday.
Aluko, who decried the spate of electoral violence in the state, said that the group planned to drag the governor before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
”The decision became imperative as the electoral violence in Kogi has claimed many lives with wanton destruction of people’s property under Bello.
”The killings, attacks and destruction of property are mostly targeted at the opposition parties and the daily political violence is almost becoming unprecedented in the history of the country.
”Therefore, the governor must account for all the violence that has occurred under him since he is the number one security officer of the state.
”As a rights body, we will not fold our arms and see this violence continue.
“This is why we will drag the governor before ICC,” he said.
Aluko regretted that the attacks were mostly against the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP).
”The attacks are now mostly on party officials, supporters and campaign offices of the SDP and PDP and the disruptions of their political rallies by thugs.
”This has been happening almost on a daily basis for long now.
“Just last Saturday, it was the house of SDP Zonal Chairman, Sunday Atabo.
”He was beaten to a state of coma and his property was destroyed at his Aja-Odi Agojoeju home.
”So, in addition to our plan to drag the governor to the ICC, we are also pushing for Visa ban against all those culpable in the Kogi political violence.
”We urge the U.S., Europe, China and other Asian countries to act accordingly so that it will serve as deterrent to others,” he said.
Aluko called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently address the electoral violence in the state, saying that such a move would enable a free and fair election in the state. (NAN)
