In a bid to ensure violent-free 2015 elections in the country, a peace accord was recently signed by all political parties’ stakeholders in Abuja. This was also emulated by other concerned institutions in Kwara State, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), National Orientation Agency (NAO) and the police command.

But hardly had the peace pacts been signed by all stakeholders in the “State of Harmony,” than members and supporters of the two dominant parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) derailed from the agreement as incessant spate of violence became the order of the day.

By the last count, no fewer than four politically-motivated violent clashes have been recorded in different parts of the state, mostly during campaigns. These clashes left sad memories in the state as several lives and property were destroyed while many also sustained various degrees of injury during the mayhem.

For instance, the convoy of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed was allegedly attacked in Kaiama, Share, the governor’s home town; as well as in Isapa, the home town of the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP, Sen. Simeon Ajibola, by suspected members of the PDP.

Ahmed, who described the attacks as unfortunate, expressed concern at the fate of the victims who were taken to hospital, saying, “we have been carrying on our campaigns throughout the nooks and crannies of the state where we have met peaceful and enthusiastic people who have demonstrated their willingness to support good governance.

“However, it is very unfortunate that as we are here today, our team was met by thugs with sticks, guns and broken bottles to the extent that some of our supporters have been shot and we are not sure whether they will survive or not. They have been taken to the hospital. It should be on record that we have been peace ambassadors and under no guise will the peaceful train be truncated by unguided thugs.”

He advised all stakeholders not to truncate the peaceful co-existence in the state as they carry out their election campaigns. Governor Ahmed further expressed concerns over the recent wave of violence unleashed by suspected political thugs on innocent people in the state.

“The orgy of violence from Kaiama to Isapa and of recent Share, my home town, are just few of the numerous works of PDP miscreants.

“On Sunday, on our way back from a campaign tour in parts of Kwara

North through Share, some PDP thugs again attacked innocent citizens and destroyed about 20 cars parked by the road side. We view this unprovoked action of the brigands too unhealthy for a fragile economy like ours. Besides, we are gradually loosing the toga of harmonious living placed on our dear state due to the activities of those seeking power by any means – legal and illegal.

“While we appeal for calm and urge the peace-loving people of our state to

remain calm and go about their businesses without fear, we wish to continue to encourage them to be peaceful and obedient to the authorities of the land. We have no other state to call ours but Kwara. We must desist from matching violence with violence,” Ahmed counselled.

The governor also urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, opinion leaders and community associations to quickly intervene to prevent reprisal. He, however, renewed confidence in the ability of the various security agencies in the state to stem the tide of current political violence in the state, pledging necessary assistance and support for them.

Corroborating the governor’s view, APC’s state chairman, Ishola Balogun-Fulani, at a press briefing in Ilorin, accused the PDP of sponsoring the attacks, adding that the APC has strictly abided by INEC’s regulations on campaigns since the commencement of its rallies.

He said: “Till today, neither the PDP governorship candidate nor his party has deemed it necessary to condemn the unprovoked attack on our members. This singular act of irresponsibility displayed by the party clearly shows that it does not only sponsored violence but also a proud promoter of it.

“As we speak, a gang of thugs led by one Dawuda Ijamode has either destroyed or defaced APC’s billboards erected in the Adeta area, Garin-Alimi roundabout, Offa garage area and many other areas in Ilorin metropolis. These agents of destruction, we gathered, are working for Senator Simeon Ajibola, Mr. Yinka Aluko and one Sheriff Shagaya,” he alleged.

The APC which expressed worry over the inability of the Kwara State police command to arrest suspected PDP thugs on the rampage, said the command should show and assure the people of the state that it is fully in charge of their security.

In what appears to be counter accusations against the APC, the state PDP also alleged that the former was the mastermind of the orgy of political violence in the state. State publicity secretary of the party, Chief Rex Olawoye, accused the ruling party in the state of series of attacks against his members.

He stressed: “It has become imperative for us to talk to the world about the impending doom being planned and gradually being executed by the APC. No sooner had we started our gubernatorial campaign than APC hoodlums started unleashing terror on our party members and supporters.

“First is the machetting of our party member, Mr. Aiyesoro of Share, in an open day drama at Maraba Motor Park for allegedly refusing to hoist the APC flag in his commercial vehicle. For the intervention of good Samaritans who quickly rushed him to a nearby private hospital in Sabo Oke, he would have lost his life.

“Second is the wanton destruction of PDP bill boards and posters right from the Ilorin Airport to the Metropolitan Square and beyond. Our surveillance at the area made it clear that two vehicles were used for this destructive and provocative operation. One of the vehicles has registration number KWARA WSN 702 AA, a Mercedes Benz (red colour); the other’s number was lost on trail.”

“Thirdly, these enemies of peace and progress went to our gubernatorial candidate’s campaign organisation’s office and unleashed terror on all the people there, shooting and using broken bottles freely on human beings. All these incidences have been properly and promptly reported to the police and other security agencies. Our party is waiting patiently to see what the Nigerian police will do on these issues.

“As if all these are not enough, as soon as they see that their unpopular party is losing grounds all around areas where our campaign trail has gone, they started attacking our campaign convoy with dangerous weapons and destroying vehicles while also maiming people. Attacks on our party few days ago at Oloru and the one that happened at Oke-Oyi are typical examples of this shameless act.“Ours is politics without bitterness, campaign on issues and objective criticism. We abhor violence in all ramifications and we plead with all our members and supporters to shun violence and embrace peace at all times. They should be calm and calculative; shine their eyes and report lovers of crisis and violence to the security agents,” Olawoye added.

The police and other security agencies in the state were also called upon by the PDP to step into the matter with a view to arresting and prosecuting the “enemies of peace promptly according to the laws of our land.”

In a bid to ensure violence-free 2015 polls in the state, the governorship candidates of all the 16 political parties in the state were made to sign peace pact by the INEC and the state police command in conjunction with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), comprising representatives of all security agencies with a view to maintaining peace before, during and after the polls.

At different fora, the two institutions urged politicians in the state to play the game according to the rules. The two rival parties in the state, the APC and the PDP still traded words over each other.

At the forum, the representative of PDP, Hon. Yinusa Yahyah, said his party would continue to be peaceful in its activities, assuring that it would not engage any rival party in violence as a way to leave a good legacy for the young generation. He noted that his party would not be happy if its billboards and vehicles are damaged by political thugs. The former House of Representative member who is now the party’s senatorial candidate for Kwara North Senatorial district said the ideal legacies that should be left behind for the young generation are peaceful and harmonious elections, adding that previous elections were held in the state devoid of violence.

The state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Saliu Garba, while addressing the political class, lamented the recent judiciary workers’ strike, saying most of those accused of participating in the attacks were arrested but were released on bail “because the law did not permit the security agencies to keep suspects beyond 24 hours.”

Garba maintained that the arrested suspects were sighted in APC and PDP campaign rallies “which portrayed them as political thugs being used by the dominant parties in the state. He added that his command has recovered about 108,806 lethal weapons from suspected thugs arrested in Kosubusu. The police boss also accused both the APC and the PDP of being the brains behind destruction of billboards and other properties belonging to each of them, describing them as “parties at war.”

He said: “As a law enforcement institution, we have resolved to use all legally permitted means to prevent any breakdown of law and order and all offenders shall be duly prosecuted as there will be no sacred cow. It has equally been decided that appropriate action be meted out to any one, no matter how highly placed, that is penciled down as being involved in sponsoring any act of thuggery and political hooliganism through any direct or indirect action traceable to him or her.”

The police commissioner also disclosed that those behind the incessant violence in the state were either locally based or imported to unleash terror on innocent people, assuring that the command has put effective mechanism in place to deal with the situation.

Apparently showing its seriousness against political violence in the state, the State Security Council at the end of its meeting penultimate week, called on the police to prosecute all pending cases of thuggery to halt increasing incidence of political violence. The council headed by Governor Ahmed, expressed concern over the increase in political violence as the general elections approach, lamenting that it has created serious security challenges in the state.

Addressing journalists shortly after the council meeting, the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, said the council also resolved that other targeted measures to check politically-motivated violence should be implemented by security outfits and the state government.

His words: “In view of the importance of communication to crime fighting and security, council also called for increased levels of advocacy and information dissemination to campaign against thuggery, other forms of political violence and their promoters. The council also recommended that all candidates for elective posts should sign a covenant with security agencies to maintain peace before, during and after