How Kwara APC gober candidate escape assassination, as Saraki thugs unleash violence

Saraki thugs kill one, injured 50
Full statement

Gentlemen of the Press,

It is with gratitude to God that I welcome you all to this occasion with the intention of putting the record straight in relation to the unwarranted hostility and attack on the person of our gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq one of the APC House of Assembly candidates of Ilorin west, Barrister Gafar Ayinla Ayinlara and our teaming supporters on Sunday 13th January, 2019.

The ugly incident perpetrated by well-known marauders and agents of Senator Bukola Saraki occurred at about 12 noon while APC members from Ilorin west and their friends from other parts of ilorin metropolis gathered for their party rally with a view to sensitize APC members on the forth coming general elections.

The unfortunate incident happened in the presence of law enforcement agents invited to provide security cover for the event.

But, 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 gubernatorial 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 because of the ensued pandemonium while some other members of APC 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 Adepoju Shola among others.

All of them are now receiving treatment at different hospitals in Ilorin.

Even our House of Assembly candidate Barrister Ayilara had his Mercedes benz car and his branded vehicle esmashed together with several other cars belonging to our party members and supporters parked along the road near the venue of the programme.

The well-known hatchet men of Saraki who unleashed terror and maimed some of our people include one Abayomi Olayeri (Alfa Nda area) Dauda Ijaomode (Okelele area) and Sule Olola (Omoda Area).Others are Stubborn Wopa (Agbaji area) and Lati Olododo (Agbaji area), Abdullahi Afotileto (Adangba area) and Musa Abdullahi Ore (Agbaji area).

It is sad to report that several hours after the programme was disrupted, the hoodlums were still not done. They still went after one of our party members, by name Abdulrasheed Oloduowo and killed the innocent man in cold blood. His only offence was his being a member of APC. May Allah grant him Aljanat fridaos and give his family the fortitude to bear the great loss.

The sad incident was the second within four days. The first was on Thursday 12th January while our gubernatorial candidate was leading a peaceful rally around Ilorin town. They were attacked at various points Adeta,Omoda and Pakata Areas. Unfortunately after hearing the report Saraki went and turn the truth on its head by saying that his supporters were attacked. Already arrests have been made and the truth will come out.

He did the same thing yesterday as he visited Agbaji area only to give out money for repairs of some damage property. He also went to visit the injured ones in the hospital. We ask him who disrupted the APC rally at Ode Afa Nda?

Who vandalized vehicles parked at the venue of the programme? We submit here that, the visit of Bukola to both Agbaji area and the hospital were deliberate attempt to cover up the heinous deed of his hatchment.

This was not the first time Bukola Saraki will employ such satanic tactics. In 2003, Saraki after getting his Newspaper National Pilot Office cited along stadium road, Ilorin burnt, hurriedly arranged a press conference to establish the complicity of the ten state government. But, the investigation panel report and security report later exonerate the government of any complicity in the matter.

This is surely his trade in stock. However, we are worried because of the incessant attack on the person of our gubernatorial candidate, as his life is being constantly threatened.

We call on the police to bring to book all the aforementioned names and many others still at large.

A few months back, precisely in November 2018 Saraki’s thugs attacked the convoy of our gubernatorial candidate during the campaign for the bye-election in Ekiti, Oke-ero, Irepodun and Isin federal constituency which APC won convincingly.

Again, some years back, several women died at his residence and he quickly linked the incident to poor ventilation. In the same way, when several of his supporters died at his mandate office, he addressed press and blamed it too on poor ventilation even though the sad incident occurred in an open field.

Even as a new entrance into politics in 2003, Saraki used similar methods of intimidation, harassment, maiming and killings when he was to become Governor. We can still recall how Ganiyu Lasiele (Akalambi area) Alhaji Issa Zaria (Otte town) were killed during 2003 elections campaign period. Himself and his team were the first to condole the family of the deceased persons. He bought vests, cutlasses and guns with the inscriptions of “Up Lawal” to create an impression that the then Governor, Mohammed Lawal was the one that sponsored the miscreants.

Gentlemen of the press, let it be known that our preference for APC is a legitimate and democratic expression of our rights to vote for a party, choose our leaders, associate with whosoever we like and to ventilate our views to say NO to deceit, injustice, inequality and wanton disregard for rule of law. It is also worthy of note that the support APC is enjoying across the state today is God’s making. And when God says, YES, who will say NO? I ask. Therefore, Saraki and his other dishonourable band of adulators including pimps and thugs who desperately want to hold on to power against the wishes of the electorates will fail woefully this time around, Inshallah.

We call on the police and indeed other law enforcement agencies to please go into this untoward development, especially as it involves loss of lives and destruction of property of innocent people with a view to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to book, so as to avoid a repeat.

We implore our party members and supporters throughout the state not to be dissuaded by the unfortunate incidents. The plan of Saraki and his cohorts is to intimidate and scare all of us into submission so that, we will not be able to come out and exercise and our franchise on the day of the elections. We shall not allow this to happen.

I also want to thank our members for their patience and understanding while I also pray that those who were wounded will be okay soonest.

Finally, I thank the gentlemen of the press. I hope they will help us ventilate our views as expressed so that, the whole world can know who is desperate to disturb the peace of our noble state.

Thanks, God bless.