The gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Engr. Seyi Makinde has condemned the escalating violence at rallies especially on his PDP supporters, urging the police and the Director of the Security Services to rise to the occasion.
Makinde in a speech titled: “political violence must stop in Oyo state” at a press conference in his ‘Omititun campaign office’, Iwo road, Ibadan, said political thuggery and violence is taking over campaigns, leading to loss of innocent lives.
He urged the Commissioner of Police and the Director of DSS to invite all candidates to a meeting where they should be told to sign undertakings for peace.
He also advised religious leaders to wade in and intensify prayers for free, fair and credible polls, sayings the tension is rising and the development has made him to end, his campaign rallies forthwith by 6pm.
According to him, in the last two weeks alone, violent incidents have been witnessed across the state in places like Ogbomoso, Igbo-Ora, Ojoo, Omi Adio, Oke Ado and only yesterday, in Oyo.
“I want to enjoin our religious leaders and traditional rulers to ask us politicians to sheath our sword, call our followers to order and preach peace because our political differences must not be allowed to translate into street wars. Our ambition is not worth the blood of innocent citizens who struggle daily to make ends meet,” Makinde added.
POLITICAL VIOLENCE MUST STOP IN OYO STATE…
BEING THE TITLE OF A PRESS CONFERENCE HELD AT OMITUNTUN HOUSE AND ADDRESSED BY ENGR SEYI MAKINDE, THE PDP GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE
While it is a fact that I had addressed the issue of political violence and thuggery in the course of the on-going campaign, it has become even more urgent on my part, that a formal pronouncement be made to drive home the implication of complacency in this very serious development.
Apart from a few skirmishes here and there, the spate of political thuggery and violence is assuming a worrisome dimension that should be of grave concern to all.
In the past two weeks alone, violent incidents have been witnessed across the state in places like Ogbomoso, Igbo ora, Ojoo, Omi Adio, Oke Ado and only yesterday in Oyo.
At a time when electioneering campaign has reached the final lap, there is a need for our security agencies to move fast to douse further tension and save lives and properties.
We strongly recommend that both the Commissioner of Police and his Director of State Security counterpart must call an emergency meeting of leaders of all the political parties and commit them to an undertaking of peace.
Our people are already traumatised as a result of grinding poverty and avoidable lack and it will be ungodly to saddle them with gory scenes of bloodletting just because some politicians are scared of relinquishing power that is not a birthright. Yorubas say, “Oosa, b’ole gbemi, fimile bose bami”.
Oyo state is the political capital of the South West and any uncontrolled political violence if not quickly nipped in the bud can set the tone for escalation and spiral across the land.
I want to join our religious leaders and traditional rulers to ask we politicians to sheath our sword, call our followers to order and preach peace because our political differences must not be allowed to translate into street wars. Our ambition is not worth the blood of innocent citizens who struggle daily to make ends meet.
Let me seize this opportunity to address briefly the accusation of the APC that I deliberately avoided the BBC organised gubernatorial debate. Our campaign team had fixed our schedule for Ibadan South East weeks before the BBC invited me to a debate which fell on the same day. I therefore used my discretion to chose to meet our people at Oranyan, Oke odo, Felele,Orita aperin, Beere and Odinjo among other local areas. The APC cannot arrange my schedule for me.
In any case why did the APC not raise similar alarm on wednesday January 16 when I attended the first ever Farmers Public Debate and Mr Bayo Adelabu who was similarly invited did not turn up and neither did he attend the Radio Nigeria- organised gubernatorial debate last sunday to which he was expressly invited. I was there. Let APC stop mischief and accusing others of what they are guilty of.
Gentlemen of the Press, I thank you for coming
Engr Seyi Makinde
PDP Gubernatorial Candidate
Oyo State 2019
