By Akinwale Kasali
The Lokoja Secretariat of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, has been set ablaze by suspected political thugs.
This followed the clearance of its governorship candidate for the governorship election scheduled for November 16, Natasha Akpoti by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Her clearance followed a court verdict, ordering INEC to reinstate her as a candidate after she was inexplicably disqualified from the race.
Akpoti’s clearance by the electoral body was well celebrated by SDP loyalists, members, supporters and feminists around the country. But the celebration has been cut short following the razing of the SDP Secretariat by alleged hoodlums and political thugs in Lokoja early Monday morning.
During the weekend, the SDP Secretariat had been vandalised, with windows, doors and gates shattered.
Also destroyed were the banners, posters and other campaign materials of the SDP gubernatorial Candidate, Natasha, before the setting ablaze of the Secretariat.
It would be recalled that the party had earlier raised alarm that there are were plans to attack its candidate, and to further destabilize her from contesting at the forthcoming polls.
Reacting to the attack on the Secretariat, Akpoti said that the unfolding events have confirmed the intelligence report received about the planned attack on her convoy.
She, however, advised her supporters to remain calm and avoid any reprisal attack, as the challenges are making her stronger in her quest to win the elections and govern the State.
