Makinde decries upsurge of campaign violence in Oyo, asks police to organise peace pact for political parties

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has admonished politicians to put an end to the growing political violence in the state. He called on the Commissioner of Police and the Director of State Security Service to urgently summon a meeting of leaders of all political parties and commit them to an undertaking of peace.

Makinde stated this on Tuesday at a press briefing in Ibadan to address the recent political violence that has rocked the state in the last two weeks.

While lamenting the spate of political violence that has been reported in some parts of the state, he said it is “assuming a worrisome dimension that should be of grave concern to all”.

His words: “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.

“Our people are already traumatized 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.”

While acknowledging Oyo State as the political capital of the South West, the governorship candidate warned that the political violence, if not quickly nipped in the bud, could escalate and spiral across other parts in the state.

He called on politicians to sheath their sword and call on the party’s followers to preach peace, adding “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.”

Reacting to the allegation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that he deliberately avoided the debate organized by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Yoruba Service last Friday, Makinde said: “Our campaign team had fixed our schedule for Ibadan South East weeks before the BBC invited me yo a debate which fell on the same day. I therefore used my discretion to choose 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 alarms 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 in which he was expressly invited. I was there. The APC should stop blaming others for crimes that they constantly commit.”

Recall that the APC on Monday described Makinde’s absence at the BBC debate as a manifestation of his “sheer incompetence and incapability and lack of programmes to move the state forward.”