Date: 2014-06-21

The Kwara State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the revelations made by PDP spokesman, Chief Rex Olawoye on Harmony FM, Thursday have vindicated APC's initial position that the fracas, that led to loss of lives and properties in Ilorin, was ignited and fought by only PDP members.

In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari, the party said "the PDP as presently constituted, renowned for violence plus falsehood, in the state is the worst circumstance to have happened to Kwara State in the fourth republic of Nigeria's democratic experience".

"We have been vindicated. The revelations made by no other person than the Publicity Secretary of Kwara PDP, Chief Rex Olawoye, on a National radio - Harmony FM on Thursday that the late Mr. Tajudeen Eba, who was murdered by PDP thugs recently, was not a defector but member of PDP and that the fracas, that has now led to loss of many lives and properties, was basically a clash between PDP members, have absolutely put paid to the web of lies issued via press releases by the same personality. We wonder if indeed he issued those previous press releases or he was coerced to signed them by the leadership of PDP against his personal conviction.

The revelations made by the PDP spokesman have justified the APC's stand on the bloody crises.

"The PDP should know that the APC can not be blackmailed into silence on the high spate of violence it has launched on the good people of Kwara State. The best way to respect the lost souls is not for the APC to assumed silence but to expose the criminal activities of the PDP with the hope that a repeat of such bloody occurrence will be forestalled.

"We call for a comprehensive probe of Kwara PDP by the Police Command as the probe will certainly curtail thuggery and violence in Kwara State because the PDP has fertile record of violence. The PDP has been indicted in all the fracas that have occurred in our dear state. It was PDP thugs that disrupted business activities and destroyed properties at Post Office, Taiwo Isale, Niger Road, Unity Road and other areas of the State on a Monday in protest to the failure of PDP Leadership to fulfil promises made to the thugs that were mobilized to a PDP rally held a day earlier and attended by President Goodluck Jonathan. It was PDP that held bloody congresses in Kwara State that led to loss of lives while many were left brutally wounded. It was a PDP chieftain and member of Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon Ilyasu Ibrahim and his son that were arrested with loads of ammunition. It was at the residence of former Kwara State PDP Caretaker Chairman, Solomon Edoja, that gang of PDP thugs were arrested with firearms and guns. It was the clash of PDP thugs at PDP senatorial meeting at Oro Lodo primary school, Omu-Aran, last Saturday that resulted into violence at the entire stretch of the area. The list is endless.

"Barely four days after the PDP through its spokesman cried out to the Inspector General of Police to come to its aid as members of the All Progressives Congress have laid siege on its members in Alore area of the state, the same PDP spokesman on Harmony FM alluded to the fact that the fracas was fundamentally a clash between PDP members. Nothing better illustrates the PDP as a party of falsehood.

"By now, all Kwarans (both home and abroad) are aware that the PDP is anti-peace, anti-development and anti-Kwarans. Innocent Kwarans have been consumed by PDP's penchant for violence and bloodshed, properties of Kwarans have been destroyed due to PDP's criminal activities. The PDP has started a dangerous and disatrous journey that is capable of arresting the level of development in the state and putting our dear state on the list of volatile states in Nigeria. These reasons among others are the reasons why Kwarans will not associate with the violent PDP.

"APC welcomes the Ilorin Emirate Descendants' Progressive Union (IEDPU), for condemning the criminal activities of the PDP in Kwara State and we assure the good people of Kwara State that the Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed led administration will continue to do all within its powers to maintain peace and harmony in Kwara State.", the statement read.