Longpet’s residence in Lokoja, the state capital, was invaded by some yet-to-be-identified gunmen in the early hours of Friday.
The news was announced by the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi.
Oyekanmi, however, said the REC was hale and hearty, adding that the security personnel attached to him were able to hold off the attackers until reinforcement arrived.
In the wake of the attack, Kogi APC and the opposition Social Democratic Party traded blame with both sides accusing the other of being the mastermind.
While the SDP called for an immediate investigation into the incident to bring the perpetrators to book, the state APC called for the immediate arrest of the opposition party’s governorship candidate, Muritala Ajaka.
Condemning the attack at a news conference in Abuja, the National Publicity of the APC, Felix Morka, called on security agents to leave no stone unturned until the perpetrators are brought to book.
He said, “The APC condemns the violent attack on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioner for Kogi State, Dr. Gabriel Longpet, and calls on law enforcement authorities to expeditiously investigate, arrest and bring perpetrators to justice.”
The party’s spokesman also announced the indefinite postponement of the inauguration of APC Standing Committees on Establishment, Finance, Publicity, Inter-Governmental, Conflict and Resolutions.
Morka told journalists that the swearing-in earlier slated for Wednesday has been shelved till a future date.
The publicity secretary explained that the postponement was among the decisions taken at Monday’s meeting of the National Working Committee of the party.
“The inauguration of the Standing Committees of the party scheduled to be held on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, has been postponed until further notice.
“The NWC deliberated on the party’s schedule and plan of activities leading up to the September 21, 2024 off-season governorship election in Edo State and November 16, 2024 governorship election in Ondo State. The full schedule of activities will be published shortly.
“The NWC notes the appointments of five state officers by the respective State Working Committees of our party, which includes Delta State Secretary, Peter Akarogbe; Lagos Secretary, Adeola Jokomba; Niger Chairman, Aminu Musa Bobi; Nasarawa Chairman, Aliyi Bello and Nasarawa Secretary, Yainus Dangusa.”
