Police surround venue of Kogi PDP leaders’ meeting

Less than 24 hours to the presidential and national assembly elections, police have surrounded the Lokoja residence of Ibrahim Idris, former governor of Kogi state, where Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders in the state are meeting, TheCable can report.

The road to the residence, which is behind the government house, has also been cordoned off, making it impossible for other PDP leaders to join the meeting.

A source at the meeting said the PDP stakeholders were perfecting their plans for the elections when security operatives stormed the residence.

“As I speak to you, about 50 armed mobile policemen are mounting strategic position on the street and in front of the house,” the source said.

“They just retreated but their trucks are parked within 100-meter radius.”

It is unclear why the police took action but opposition leaders have raised the alarm that there are plots to deploy security operatives in their stronghold to destabilise the PDP during the elections.

When contacted, William Aya, spokesman of the Kogi police command, said he was unaware of the blockade.

“I am not aware of that. I don’t know anything about it,” he told TheCable via telephone.

On Thursday, Kola Ojo, chairman of the PDP in Kogi west senatorial district, said the party had uncovered plans by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to arrest its members, intimidate and cause mayhem all in their attempt to rig the presidential and national assembly elections.

“We make bold to state that while as a party we’re worried by the desperate moves to cause violence, mayhem, arrest PDP members ahead the Saturday’s poll, a plan that would be resisted,” Ojo had said.