Date: 2014-08-23

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Kwara State chapter has challenged a PDP chieftain, Mr Dele Belgore to urgently make available to Kwarans evidence of his allegations that the APC was entirely responsible for the violence that erupted at his polling unit on Friday, instead of pleading for groundless apology from APC and its chieftains.

In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari, the APC said, "If anyone needs to tender apology, it is Mr Dele Belgore that should tender unconditional apology to the APC and the good people of Kwara State for making unsubstantiated allegations and misinforming the people".

"The attention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kwara State chapter has been drawn to a circulated news story signed by one Rafiu Ajakaye on the social media, wherein, Mr Dele Belgore requested for apology from the APC and its chieftains.

"It should interest everyone to note that the statement for which Mr Belgore is pleading for groundless apology was a statement issued on August 19, 2014 by Kwara APC as a reaction to a reckless statement titled "APC behind violence at PVC distribution centre", issued and signed on behalf of Mr Dele Belgore by his media aide, Rafiu Ajakaye on August 16, 2014 on the violence that erupted at Oke Ogun Ward in Ilorin South Local Government of Kwara State.

"In the reckless statement issued by Mr Dele Belgore, he alleged, "The APC was entirely responsible for the violence unleashed on the people yesterday". Mr Belgore continued, "For the record, we wish to state categorically that MD Belgore SAN has absolutely no hand in such indecent conduct as perpetuated by APC thugs sponsored by one serving commissioner". It should surprise every right-thinking person that Mr Belgore did not state any reason or evidence for making these reckless and baseless allegations.

"We challenge Mr Belgore to urgently make available to Kwarans evidence of his allegations that the APC was entirely responsible for the violence that erupted at his polling unit on Friday, instead of pleading for groundless apology from the APC and its chieftains.

"Meanwhile, APC's statement is a product of a dispassionate review of Mr Belgore's reckless statement and reports generated by our monitoring team from the scene of violence at Oke Ogun ward.

"In our statement, we raised many pivotal questions that are yet unanswered. Why is Mr Belgore's polling unit the only polling unit in the entire state that has a reported incident of violence? Why was the polling unit peaceful until his arrival? If the APC indeed instigated the unrest as Mr Belgore claimed, how did the APC instigate the crises? Why did he think the APC will attack APC members? Why were his few supporters and PDP members not attacked?

"In the interim, the agent of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who was a victim of the violence can confirm who ignited the crises and the perpetrators. We request that the Police Command should make public its investigative report on the violence.

"We reiterate that a credible investigation into the violence at Oke Ogun Ward, Ilorin on Friday should start from why did the polling booth suddenly turn theatre of violence after the arrival of Mr Belgore and his team.", the statement read.