PDP Accuses Gov Abdulrazaq Of Plotting With Police To Embark On Mass Arrest of Kwarans After LG Election's Backlash
The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has uncovered a sinister plot by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and the Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, to unlawfully clamp down on innocent Kwarans and PDP members who lawfully resisted electoral manipulations and frauds orchestrated by the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWASIEC) during the recently concluded local government elections across the state.
Credible intelligence available to the party reveals that certain top PDP members, alongside notable apolitical figures, have been marked for arrest based on trumped-up charges.
In a statement signed by the state publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, the party said it has it on good authority that the government, in collusion with the police, is currently compiling names and preparing frivolous petitions to frame these individuals as political hoodlums accused of disrupting the election.
Kwarans will recall that in several parts of the state, elections could not be held due to the failure of KWASIEC officials to arrive on time or the complete unavailability of sensitive electoral materials, including result sheets (KWASIEC A & B), ballot papers, stamp pads, and accreditation materials. Areas such as Offa, Ajikobi Ward, Oyun, Irepodun, Ekiti, Oke-Ero, major parts of Isin, Ifelodun, Ilorin East, Asa, Moro, Ilorin South, Baruten, Edu, Patigi, and Kaiama experienced what can best be described as a "No Vote" exercise
In places where sensitive materials were absent, KWASIEC officials audaciously informed voters that election results would be written on plain sheets of paper. Where there were insufficient ballot papers, voters rightfully insisted that elections would not proceed without official result sheets or enough ballot papers. The people peacefully undertook this action to ensure that no registered voter in any community was disenfranchised and that the election process adhered to the rule of law.
Shockingly, despite elections not being held in many locations, the Kwara State Government went ahead to announce its candidates as winners without any legitimate results from voting points. This brazen act has further deepened the loss of confidence in the integrity of the APC-led government in Kwara state.
Flowing from this development, we have it on good authority that the Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, is preparing to use the police force to harass, frame, and arrest peaceful Kwarans, branding them as political thugs especially in areas where elections couldn't hold due to KWASIEC failures
Our party had previously raised concerns about the suspicious visit of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to the office of the Commissioner of Police and other security agencies on the eve of the elections. While we commend the neutrality and professionalism displayed by other security agencies such as the DSS, NSCDC, the military, and other paramilitary bodies, the conduct of the police before, during, and after the elections has left much to be desired.
For instance, in Oloje Ward, where isolated incidents occurred before the elections, the police selectively prosecuted only PDP members, ignoring petitions filed by PDP members who were injured. In Isin Local Government, our chairmanship candidate was ambushed and attacked by the APC candidate and his thugs in Owu Isin, yet the police have taken no action to arrest or prosecute the perpetrators.
We are therefore calling on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, to urgently intervene and rein in the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, who is being used as an instrument of intimidation and oppression.
The good people of Kwara State have peacefully conducted themselves despite the provocations by KWASIEC and agents of the State Government. While the results have been manipulated and the people’s will subverted, Kwarans have continued to express their displeasure peacefully.
The patience and patriotic stance of Kwarans should not be taken for granted. The police must not allow themselves to be used to ignite a crisis in Kwara State. The elections were largely peaceful, and even those who protested did so within the confines of the law. Any attempt to unlawfully arrest Kwarans and PDP members under the guise of maintaining law and order will be met with strong resistance.
We hereby warn that any unlawful clampdown on our members or any citizen of Kwara State will have dire consequences for the peace and stability of the state.
The PDP calls on the Inspector General of Police to immediately call the Commissioner of Police to order, to ensure that Kwara State does not become a theatre of political crisis due to the ambitions and manipulative tendencies of a few individuals.
The Kwara PDP remains committed to the principles of democracy, fairness, and the rule of law. We will not relent in our pursuit of justice for the people of Kwara State, and we will continue to defend the rights of every citizen against any form of oppression or injustice.
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