Date: 2015-03-25

The Kwara State Government has petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan and Inspector-General of Police, Sulaiman Abba over last weekend's political violence in two communities of Ekiti Local Government.

There was unrest in Obbo-Aiyegunle and Osi in Ekiti with properties worth millions of naira damaged when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Senator Simeon Ajibola took his campaign to the local government. A filling station belonging to a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was also vandalized.

The APC blamed the destruction on thugs suspected to be working for PDP though the PDP denied being responsible for the attacks.

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed who addressed newsmen after a rally in Olooru and Babanloma communities in Moro Local Government described the violence as "unfortunate". Therefore, he disclosed that a petition had been forwarded to the president and the security agencies.

He said, "The violence in the two communities in Ekiti local government allegedly perpetrated by PDP thugs is an unfortunate situation and we have written our petition to the President, Inspector General of Police Suleiman Abba and other stakeholders on security including the National Security Adviser (NSA) and DSS alerting them on the new spate of violence that has been started by the PDP the moment it started its campaigns in the state.

"Don't forget that we had our campaign in about 14 local government areas hitch-free without any violence. Violence started when PDP commenced its campaigns with sporadic shootings and attacks.

"The petition to the security agents is to forestall this kind of violence and allow for free and fair electoral processes".

Also speaking in the same vein, the APC leader in the state, Senator Bukola Saraki stated that Ajibola must be held culpable for the violence.

He said, "As you know out of the 16 local government areas in the state, it has always been that same local government we experienced violence during campaigns.

"When the All Progressives Congress (APC) took its governorship campaign tour there, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed's convoy was attacked by suspected Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) thugs.

"Last week again, when the PDP governorship candidate Senator Simeon Ajibola took his campaign there, some of the PDP thugs again unleashed mayhem in the two communities of Osi and Obbo-Aiyegunle vandalizing people's property. The PDP governorship candidate must be held responsible. It is not by coincidence".

Reacting to the allegations by APC, Ajibola campaign office said it was false that PDP thugs unleashed mayhem on Osi and Obbo-Aiyegunle communities.

"The allegations are false, dishonest calculated to create false alarm. We had peaceful rally at Osi, on our way to Obba-Ile, APC thugs ambushed our convoy but security men intervened.

"On our return trip, APC thugs opened fire and hit the vehicle of Hon. Bashir Oni who narrowly escaped death. APC is jittery of our wide support and popularity", the campaign office said in a statement.