The Kwara State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the recent invasion by kidnappers in Oke-Ode, a community in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state, where an innocent trader lost his life, and a POS operator, who was the target of the attack narrowly escaped by whisker.
In a statement issued on Friday by the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Olusegun Olusola Adewara (Sholyments) and made available to Just Event Online TV on Friday, described the growing insecurity across the state and the Government’s cold attitude to the loss of people’s lives as troubling and disheartening. The Party, while commiserating with the community, also blamed failure to conduct local government elections by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq as one of the factors triggering insecurity in the state.
We extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved family, the traditional institution in Oke-Ode, and the entire Oke-Ode indigenes both home and in the diaspora. The PDP stands in solidarity and pledges to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to swiftly bring the perpetrators of this heinous act to justice.
As a Party, we express our disappointment at Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s cold attitude towards the escalating insecurity in Kwara, especially his silence on the Oke-Ode attacks. We find it disheartening that the Governor rushed to issue a statement condoling with the Oyo state government over a blast incident but had remained mute on the Oke-Ode attacks which claimed lives and put the community in disarray. We asked whether the lives of the people of Kwara have now become so insignificant to the Governor entrusted with the mandate to protect people’s lives and properties that he does not have empathy for them anymore. This is the peak of insensitivity and irresponsibility from the APC-led administration in the state.
We commend the prompt response of the local vigilantes in Oke-Ode, who engaged the criminals and successfully thwarted their operation, leading to the capture of one of the perpetrators while others were given a good chase. We call for increased support and encouragement for these local hunters by the state government and local council to empower them in safeguarding their communities.
“As a political Party in Kwara, we reiterate our stance on the LG elections. We hold Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq responsible for the state’s growing insecurity due to his failure to conduct local government elections while running the local government areas with his surrogates who are aiding him in feasting on local government funds in the past four years.
“Our Party believes that a democratically elected local government structure would enhance security and grassroots development knowing fully well that if democratically elected LG structures are in place, they will be accountable to people and device strategies that are peculiar to their various localities to combat this menace and also offer better resources management for each of the council areas.
“We make bold to say that a democratically elected chairman who is accountable to his people will not convert a vehicle procured to enhance local security to personal use. As a Party, we have raised concerns over and over but it is disheartening to note that all the TIC Chairmen for the Local Government Areas have misappropriated security vehicles meant for vigilante operations for their personal use and the governor has not cautioned them.
“This act of greediness and selfishness is contributing to the growing insecurity across the state and since the Governor is no longer living in Kwara, he has shown less concerns for voices of reasons.”
