Date: 2014-12-19

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has warned the state chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to allow its internal lingering crises snowball to political unrest in Kwara State.

In a statement issued in Ilorin by its Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari, the party said "Senator Simeon Ajibola and other 12 aspirants who lost out at the primaries do not constitute a threat to the re-election bid of our Governorship Candidate, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed"

"The lingering crises in Kwara PDP is heating up the polity. At present, we have reports on pockets of violence across the state including an attack on a former PDP gubernatorial aspirant by PDP thugs.

"We advise, though unsolicited but in the interest of peace, that the PDP should exercise caution in order not to allow its party crises snowball to full-fledged political unrest in Kwara State.

The APC said the collective interest of Kwarans is bigger than the selfish interest of the PDP or any other group for that matter.

"We warn the PDP not to destabilise Kwara State because we know they have the capacity to unleash violence on the good people of Kwara State as the PDP had done in the past.

"Meanwhile, the fact that the State Executive Committee (SEC) of Kwara PDP issued a communique and the Chairman of PDP, Mr Iyiola Oyedepo issued a contrary press statement yet on the same subject matter is a signal that Kwara PDP have been divided and destroyed beyond redemption.

"It is of particular concern to the people of Kwara State that Kwara PDP is being remote-controlled from Abuja and Otuoke as shown when PDP chairman said, "the state chapter of the PDP lacks the power to recognise any candidate except the ones duly announced as winners by the National Working Commitee (NWC)".

"It should surprise Kwarans that while our great party, the APC, conducted primary elections and made formal declaration of candidates' names within the boundaries of Kwara State, PDP candidates will emerge not through elections but by mere announcement from Abuja according to PDP Chairman.

"This again shows that the undemocratic PDP have dropped all its pretences about being democratic. If the new found jackboot politics and politics of announcement by the PDP is a ploy to impose candidates on its few members in Kwara State, it is PDP's business but PDP should stop parading itself as being democratic or champion of 'freedom' from phantom bondage when it daily invites external aggression and conspiracy to destabilise the peace and stability of Kwara State.

"We state unequivocally that PDP gubernatorial candidate, Senator Simeon Ajibola and other 12 aspirants who lost out at the primaries do not constitute a threat to the re-election bid of our Governorship Candidate, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed. No personality in PDP can match Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed's popularity and acceptability in Kwara State and the APC will defeat PDP effortlessly, in all elective contests, in the 2015 general elections.

"Conclusively, we hereby alert the Kwara State Police Command and other security agencies in Kwara State on the new dimension of political crises in Kwara PDP and its potency to ignite political unrest in Kwara State. Do your job.", the statement read.