Our attention has been drawn to the Opposition Peoples Democratic Party rally scheduled for Sunday, 23rd of February at the Lower Niger River Basin in Ilorin. While the activities of the PDP is not our concern, we are concerned about the rule of law and its maintenance.

We are aware of Section 99(1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended) which states as follows: "for the purpose of this Act, the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 90 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day". The PDP can not be an exception and no election in 90 days time in the state. Where did the Police and PDP derive their powers from?

The Police should be seen as an enforcer of law and not aiding violation of law with impunity by the PDP. If the rally is permitted to hold by the police, the police would have lost the moral ground to enforce this provision of the electoral act on other political parties in the state. We warn the police against selective enforcement of law in the state as it may attract consequential reactions from Kwarans.

The successful registration of our members has left the PDP handlers jittery hence need to arrange rallies. The PDP has been abandoned by Kwarans and no numbers of rallies can save it from being roundly defeated in all elections in the state.

This is evident as the choice of Lower Niger River Basin as against the traditional Metropolitan Square for political rallies by the PDP is borne out of fear of low turn out of the people.

Alhaji Sulaimon Buhari,
Interim Publicity Secretary, APC, Kwara State.