It called on the security agencies to protect the people against the PDP aggression, failing which the party may not guarantee that its supporters and people of Kwara will not defend themselves.

Rafiu Ajakaye, media aide to Kwara ACN leader Mohammed Dele Belgore SAN, said in a statement issued in Ilorin that some ACN chieftains and supporters were attacked as they gathered to receive Belgore who was billed to address a campaign rally for Abdul Aiyelabegan Goga, the ACN candidate for the Ilorin West Constituency's repeat poll, after the Appeal Court nullified the election of PDP's Fatahi Bakini.

The statement reads: "We condemn in strongest terms the PDP thugs' violent attacks on chieftains and members of our party at Oloje in Ilorin West where Kwara ACN leader Mohammed Dele Belgore SAN was scheduled to address a crowd of supporters on Thursday afternoon ahead a rerun election for Ilorin West House of Assembly Constituency.

"As our members and independent voters were gathering to receive their leader, weapon-wielding PDP thugs started throwing bottles and other harmful things at ACN supporters and eventually cordoned off the campaign ground. Our supporters were macheted in the process while the crowd including the ACN's candidate Abdul Aiyelabegan for the election had to flee for their lives.

"The attack was totally unprovoked. It is cowardly and exposes the PDP for who they are. We see the attack as an attempt to cow the opposition and ensure nobody turns out for the election. Is this the idea of what democracy means to PDP and their leader who reportedly told his people that the only means of winning the election slated for Saturday June 30 is to make an example of ACN supporters?

"We call on the security agencies to immediately stop this drift to anarchy because if the security agencies failed in their duties to protect the people, the party (ACN) may not be able to control the anger of its supporters who may be forced to defend themselves against this aggression and tyranny.

" We urge the voters not to be intimidated because the idea behind this violence is to cow and deny the voters the opportunity of exercising their democratic right."