Date: 2014-08-27

The All Progressives Congress (APC), Kwara State chapter has condemned the disruption of commercial activities and break down of law and order by rampaging thugs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at Ilorin metropolis on Tuesday.

The APC said, "the APC is not amazed that imposition is tearing the PDP into pieces in Kwara State, what is disturbing is why Kwarans and Ilorin metropolis should be terrorised due to the failure of PDP to manage its few members".

In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari, the APC said, "the peace of Kwara State is under attack by heavily-armed political thugs of the opposition PDP".

"Again, the disruption of commercial activities and the breakdown of law and order by heavily-armed political thugs of the opposition PDP in Ilorin metropolis on Tuesday is highly condemnable.

"More worrisome, is the open shooting and open display of weaponry by the rampaging PDP thugs. Kwara State has never witnessed this height of thuggery, gangsterism and blood-letting in its entire history, not even when our state was been ruled by Soldiers.

"Meanwhile, reliable reports confirmed that the crises was triggered by the undemocratic bid of some Abuja politicians to impose their lackeys as party executives during the local government congress of PDP in Ilorin West local government. The APC is not amazed that imposition is tearing the PDP into pieces in Kwara State, what is disturbing is why Kwarans and Ilorin metropolis should be terrorised due to the failure of the PDP to manage its few members.

"We are raising this alarm on account of the fact that, recently, the ward congress of Kwara PDP led to the murder of innocent Kwarans. We don't want Kwarans to be murdered again in the guise of PDP congress. If the ward congress of the PDP could consume many lives, the outcome of its local government congress can only be imagined. May Allah forbid that such unfortunate incident happen in Kwara State again.

"The PDP has proven, without any doubt, that it is an irresponsible political party. It lacks the capacity and wherewithal to manage its few member. It is not an alternative to the APC. Violence can never be an alternative to peace and sustainable development. This explains why the PDP remains unpopular in Kwara State.

"In spite of the fact that all households in Kwara State are aware of the violent antecedents and tendencies of the PDP, we will not relent in our unshaking commitment to raise alarm whenever and whereever the peace of Kwara State is either threatened or attacked by the desperate PDP.

"The APC demands a public statement from the Police Command on this crises due to the penchant of the opposition PDP to deny involvement in crises it solely executed and its affinity to issue falsehood to the good people of Kwara State whenever its political thugs strike.

"We call on the Police Command, as the APC has done countless times, to investigate the crises and bring to justice the culprits but with an attachment, that the capacity of the Kwara State Police Command to curtail violence is been challenged now, graver than ever, by the heavily-armed PDP thugs.", the statement read.