Don"t Allow Repeat of 2003 Political Violence, Kwara APC Guber Candidate Warns Stakeholders
Date: 2019-01-21
The gubernatorial candidate of All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, at the weekend cautioned political stakeholders in the state to shun actions that may lead to the kind of political violence of 2003 that bedeviled the state during administration of late former governor Mohammed Lawal.
He therefore assured the people of the state and his teeming supporters that, no amount of provocation from any quarters will make them indulge in any act of violence ahead of the forthcoming general election.
Alhaji Abdulrasaq stated this in Ilorin during the APC Kwara Central senatorial district interactive session organised for wards, local government and candidates vying for various elective positions in the area.
He said that, "our party is committed to good governance and would not indulge in any actions that may derail the planned goal.
"We have just signed a peace agreement with INEC and with other leaders of registered political parties. We are not going to be involved in any violation of the accord because our party is committed to good governance".
He noted that, "We will not unleash terror on the people we want to provide qualitative governance for so as to advance their socio-economic development.
"And we have cautioned our supporters not to retaliate wherever there may be any provocations of any sort.
"Even, we are unperturbed with the ban on rallies, they are trying to provoke us so that we can fight them back and we will not do such thing.
"That was what they did for late former governor Mohammad Lawal, they were trying to use same formula for us, it will not work because we will not retaliate."
Abdulrasaq who used the opportunity of the occasion to unveil some members of his campaign council, announced Alhaji Yahayah Seriki as deputy director general for Kwara central with a charge to unite members of the party.
The meeting was attended by big wigs within the party including a former governorship aspirant, Hon. Mashood Mustapha, a candidate of House of Representatives, Alhaj Abdulganiyu Cook Olododo and Alhaji Yinka Aluko amongs others .
In his remarks, Kwara central senatorial candidate, Dr. Ibrahim Oloriegbe, said the "O to ge" struggle is a movement from God which cannot be halted by any one.
"We stand by our struggle, "O to ge" is a movement from God. The governor does not have the constitutional power to ban rally, we have consulted with security agencies and we are not going to abide by the ban.
"In fact, it is the responsibility of the governor to provide security for us. They are doing their rally, we are not disturbing their rally', they are the one disturbing our rally", he said.