Date: 2015-03-14

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has accused the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Simeon Ajibola of inciting religious crises in Kwara State with the hope of benefiting from such crises ahead of the 2015 general elections.

The APC said Senator Ajibola is inciting the christian faithfuls in Kwara State against its Presidential Candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and its Governorship Candidate, Alh (Dr) Abdulfatah Ahmed.

In a statement issued in Ilorin on Thursday by the State Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari, the APC said, "the renewed move by the PDP to throw Kwara State into religious crises is desperate, condemnable and a move destined to fail.

"We have reliably gathered that the governorship candidate of PDP in Kwara State, Senator Simeon Ajibola has embarked on a dangerous trend of religious jingoism with the hope of benefiting from religious crises ahead of the general election. "The PDP and its governorship candidate have sealed a working relationship with a section of Christian Association Of Nigeria (CAN) Kwara State chapter to incite christian faithfuls in Kwara State against our Presidential Candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari and our Governorship Candidate, Alh (Dr) Abdulfatah Ahmed ahead of the 2015 general elections.

"The agenda of these religious jingoists is to portray our candidates as men of religious intolerance with the hope that it would sway voters to vote for Senator Ajibola and the PDP presidential candidate. Off course, the PDP agenda is based on falsehood. The virtue of religious tolerance has exhibited by our candidates is undisputable.

"It is quite surprising that the drowning PDP and its perpetually unpopular governorship candidate believe hate campaign and inciting religious crises can shield them from imminent colossal defeat in the 2015 general election.

"We state that the factors that would shape the 2015 governorship election in Kwara State are competence, integrity, record of public service and not religious belief.

The APC queried, "How can Ajibola's religious belief cover his poor performance as a federal lawmaker of over 10years from public scrutiny? How can Ajibola's religious faith wash him clean of incompetence, inexperience and his unpopularity within the people he seeks to govern?

"Religious jingoists like Senator Ajibola should be reminded that religious bigotry has never trumped over the collective efforts of Kwarans to keep Kwara State as a state of harmony and peace. "We assure the people of Kwara State that no matter the religious belief, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed will continue to be fair to all Kwarans in continuity of the shared prosperity agenda of the APC-led government in Kwara State.", the statement read.