Kwara LG Elections: PDP Accuses APC Of Creating Tension, Warns That Situation May Become Explosive

Ahead of the local government elections scheduled to hold in the State of Harmony on September 21, 2024, Kwara state PDP  has condemned ‘in strongest terms ‘ what it called ‘the unfortunate introduction of guns and other dangerous weapons into the politics of Kwara state by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s party, the All Progressives Congress (APC)’. 

‘This reckless and irresponsible behavior not only threatens the safety and security of our people but also casts an indictment on the state government’s readiness to conduct local government elections that would be free, fair and acceptable to the people’ the  state PDP submitted  in a statement  issued in Ilorin and made available to Team@orientactualmags.com by its Publicity Secretary,  Mr. Olusegun Olusola Adewara, on Monday.

The statement also noted that the failure of the ruling party to maintain peace and orderliness among its members has indirectly prepared the minds of Kwara people that ‘there will be no peaceful local government elections in the state’. 

While urging the security agencies not to show indifference , the party also emphasized the need for the Inspector General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, to direct the state police command to take drastic steps.

‘The attention of the Kwara state  PDP has been drawn to a deeply disturbing and dangerous trend within the ranks of the Kwara APC where it was reported that gunrunners and criminal assassins are being deployed by members of the ruling APC to outmaneuver one another in the ongoing local government elections screenings.

Particularly, we’ve learned about gunmen yet to be identified, taking  over the premises of K-Cool Hotel in Patigi, where some APC stalwarts reportedly  gathered at the instance of  Governor Abdulrahman to perfect the imposition of candidates loyal to him. The gunmen, viciously masked, launched an attack by shooting sporadically to stop the imposition. Also, in Omu-Aran, Irepodun LG, violence erupted in a similar manner with several people sustaining serious injuries while some were feared dead during the APC screening processes in the community.

As of this moment, no one has been able to ascertain if lives were lost in these incidents or determine the degrees of injury and damage  inflicted on people and the hotel in question. This is a very sad development in the history of Kwara’s political culture, which was hitherto widely known and respected for peace, progress, and maturity.

What happened in APC is a consequence of the unlawful imposition of candidates on members of the party by the governor, an attempt to legalize the continuation of his TIC through an election the governor is planning to manipulate in his personal favor at all cost.

Elections are a few months away, but allies of Governor Abdulrahman and members of the ruling APC have begun to demonstrate their violent tendencies with a clear lack of leadership from the governor. The PDP is afraid that the state may be technically drifting into anarchy when the full-blown inter-party campaigns kick off. As we approach the September local government elections date, our major fear is that the governor is famous to always benefit in an atmosphere of crisis and tension.

While our party  is calling on Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to rein in criminal thugs wielding guns and other lethal objects within his party from further causing public disturbance, we also call on Inspector General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, to direct the state police command to not fold hands and watch Kwara state getting plunged into a political war zone by the continued attempts by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to suppress opposition voices, both within and outside his party in Kwara.

.The Kwara PDP calls on all security agencies to immediately investigate these reports and take decisive action to curb this dangerous escalation. 

The peace and stability of our state are paramount, and we cannot allow the ambitions of the governor and his party to plunge Kwara into chaos and violence.

We urge the good people of Kwara to dust their PVCs, use the opportunity of the coming LG elections to stamp out all traces of Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq in our local governments so that the councils can serve their people effectively’ the party submitted-Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you