Date: 2019-02-21

Political thugs suspected to have sympathies for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday allegedly attacked the convoy of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital.

The attack is said to have culminated in life-threatening gunshots, which left at least two supporters of the APC injured.

Many others allegedly got seriously injured while running for their lives.

But a police source revealed the incident, which happened around Isale-Koko, Ilorin suburb, occurred when the Vice President's convoy had left the area.

When contacted, spokesperson of the state police command Ajayi Okasanmi could not confirm the incident.

Reacting on the development APC governorship candidate in the state Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq condemned "the brazen attack today in Ilorin on the convoy of the Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo by armed PDP thugs."

In a statement by his media aide, Rafiu Ajakaye, Abdulrazaq said: "The vice president was at Isale Aluko suburb of Ilorin on a door-to-door campaign when some dare-devil gunmen opened fire at his convoy which included thousands of APC members and supporters.

"In what is a reminiscence of the Offa robbery, this attack is the height of recklessness on the part of these street urchins who have long been empowered and armed by the discredited dynasty to terrorise our community and anyone who has contrary views to their amala politics.

"Coming just a day after two of our supporters were killed in Ojoku in the convoy of our senatorial candidate Architect Lola Ashiru, this is becoming too much and the madness must stop.

"Going into an election with these thugs clearly on the loose is an existential threat not just to all of us challenging the misrule in our state but to the entire people of the state and their properties.

"We call for immediate arrest and prosecution of these thugs. We also demand investigations to reveal those who gave the orders for these deadly attacks.

"We call for all measures to be taken to ensure safety of lives and properties and sanctity of the ballot box in Kwara and beyond.

"No one's political interest should be at the expense of human lives and their properties.

"We insist that a political contest is a contest of ideas and no one must be allowed to cow or kill others in the process."