Wole Adedeji, Ilorin
The All Progressives Congress (APC), in Kwara State, has cried out that one of its own, identified as Rasheed Oloduowo, was allegedly killed in an attack by suspected thugs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Sunday, last week.
Addressing a press conference, in Ilorin, the state capital, Dr. Yahaya Oloriegbe, who spoke for the APC said 50 others were seriously injured and were at the time of the press briefing receiving medical treatment, while he also claimed that 30 of their vehicles were badly damaged.
Oloriegbe, a medical doctor, who is contesting Kwara Central Senatorial election against Senate President Bukola Saraki, told journalists that the attack was on APC at a scheduled campaign rally in Agbaji, the homestead of Saraki, in Ilorin.
Earlier, the Senate President were the first to raise the alarm that his family house was attacked by some APC members, adding that property worth millions of naira were damaged.
However, Oloriegbe countered Saraki and the PDP’s claims, alleging that the attack was deliberately unleashed with the APC governorship candidate, Abdulrasaq and the House of Assembly candidate, Gafar Ayilara as the main targets.
He told journalists that but for divine arrangements, the two personalities who were saved by the security agencies around them, would have been killed.
According to him, they had identified some people as the hatchet men who launched the attack. They allegedly included Abayomi Oluyeri of Alfa Nda Area, Dauda Ijaomode (Okelele) Sule Olola (Omoda Area) Sturborn Wopa (Agbaji), Lati Olododo (Agbaji Area), Abdillahi Atotileto (Adangba Area) and Musa Abdullahi Ore (Agbaji Area).
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Oloriegbe pointed the finger at the Senate president whose utterances, moves and actions before attacks were made on the APC members, he alleged, spoke volumes.
Meanwhile, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, following repeated cases of political violence in Ilorin metropolis has set up a joint security task force to curb the development.
“Serious measures are being put in place to address these political violence. First, a joint task force that will ensure that all such political violence are curbed or nipped in the bud is being set up.
“We want to give confidence to the people that the security agencies and government will ensure that there’s peaceful coexistence and peaceful environment all through the political activities that we have, Insha Allah”, he said.
The governor, who described the repeated political violence in the metropolis as ‘unfortunate’, said it was a complete degeneration of the political value of the people of the state.
He had said; “It’s not acceptable because politics is meant to be carried on peacefully and activities therein peacefully too. But what we are seeing is a clear case of criminality.
“We have just risen from the Security Council meeting and I want to assure you that justice will be done.
“All culprits that have been involved in the orgy of violence must be brought to book to serve as deterrent to prospective criminals.
“We will not accept or allow this in the state again. We have chosen to live as peaceful people and we want to carry out our activities peacefully”, he concluded