THE political tension in Kwara State ahead of the elections, yesterday, thickened as the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, claimed that political thugs working for a top politician in the state and a Senator, on Sunday, killed one of his supporters, wounded 50 others and vandalised 30 vehicles.
Abdulrazaq named the dead APC faithful as Abdulrasheed Oloduowo.
He called on the Police to arrest seven thugs (names withheld) allegedly behind the attacks.
At a briefing, Abdulrazaq, surrounded by party chieftains, other candidates, aides and supporters, said: “The ugly incident perpetrated by well known marauders and agents of the senator occurred at about 12noon, while APC members from Ilorin West and their friends from other parts of Ilorin metropolis gathered for their party rally with a view to sensitising APC members on the forthcoming general election.
“The security agents became helpless when well-armed thugs numbering about 50 invaded the venue of the programme, Ode Alfa NDA, Pakata Road, Ilorin, and unleashed terror on innocent APC members and supporters.
“The governorship candidate and the House of assembly candidate were only lucky to have escaped unhurt because of the tight security around them. Many members of our great party had to run away to save their dear lives, while some others were not that lucky.
“They sustained various degrees of injuries. In short, the hoodlums had their way as they succeeded in disrupting the programme. Those injured include Yusuf Alagbede and Jaji Adeola, among others. All of them are now receiving treatment at different hospitals in Ilorin.”
Kwara REC meets monarch
Meanwhile, Kwara State Resident Electoral Commi-ssioner, REC, Malam Garba Attahiru-Madami, has expressed concern over recent political violence in the state.
Attahiru-Madami, who spoke at an interactive session with traditional rulers in the state, yesterday in Ilorin, appealed to them to educate their subjects on the need to maintain peace during and after the general elections.
In his remarks, the Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Abdulraheem Adeoti, commended INEC for the interactive session, but appealed to INEC to organise similar interactive sessions at the local government level.
He promised that he would do his best to sensitise and mobilise the people in his domain on the need to eschew violence during political campaigns.
The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, who was represented by the Daodu of Fufu, Alhaji Bello Alege, called for the banning of house-to-house campaign in the state, saying it often promotes violence, because supporters of candidates normally attack each other on such occasions.
