Political Violence: Makinde Urges Security Agencies To Douse Tension

As a result of violence trailing campaign rally of some political parties in Oyo State, the gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in the state, Engineer Seyi Makinde has urged the heads of the security agencies, especially Commissioner of Police and Director of Department of State Security (DSS) to work out modalities that will douse the tension and fear created by political violence in the state. 

Makinde made the call while addressing journalists at a press conference held at his campaign office in Ibadan, the state capital. 

It could be recalled that the state in the last two weeks, had witnessed nothing less than five political violence across the State where cases of death were recorded and several other people were injured. 

It was gathered that one person was shot in Ogbomoso when members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Action Democratic Party (ADP) clashed three week ago.

Some PDP members were also attacked in Ojoo area of Ibadan, last week. Two people also died when some members of APC were also attacked in Igbo Ora area of Ibarapa geo-political zone during the weekend.  

Makinde while condemning the rate of violence that greeted the campaigns of the gubernatorial candidates in the state in the recent time, he noted that there is a need for the security agencies in the state to act fast and douse tension as well put all necessary measures in place that will guarantee the safety of innocent citizens during the electioneering campaign. 

Makinde who insisted that both the Commissioner of Police and the Director of State Security counterpart must call an emergency meeting of leaders of all the political parties and commit them to sign an undertaking of peace, described the recent political violence in the state as “something that does not worth it”. 

According to him, “It is a fact that I had addressed the issue of political violence and thuggery in the course of the on-going campaign, but it has become expedientm 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”.