Alleged Plan By KWSG To Clampdown On PDP Leaders: Party Petitions DSS

By Steve Oni, Ilorin

Kwara state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised the alarm over an alleged plan by the state government to arrest some of its stalwarts on trumped up charges.

The leading opposition party in the state made this known in a petition it addressed to the Kwara state Director of the Department of State Security Services (DSS).

The petition titled: “Baseless and unfounded allegation against some chieftains of the PDP and the PDP as a party of inducing women to protest against the lockdown order of the Kwara state government” and dated May 8, 2020 was signed by the state PDP’s legal adviser, Barr. Michael Aborishade.

The PDP called for an indept investigation of the allegation levelled against it and its leaders by the state Commissioner for Communication with a view to ascertaining the genuineness or otherwise of such allegation which it described as unfounded.

The PDP’s petition reads in part: “On Monday the 4th day of May, 2020, the Kwara state government through the Commissioner for Communication, Mr. Murtala Olareweju, made concocted, baseless, frivolous, unfounded, ill orchestrated and ill motivated statement to the effect that some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party and the PDP as a party in Kwara State had concluded plans to induce and or are inducing some women and women groups in Kwara state to protest and cause mayhem against the lockdown order pronounced and made by the Kwara state government against the spread of Covid-19 Pandemic in the state.

“We are aware of a well calculated attempt by the state government to begin the arrest en masse of some chieftains and members of our party under the guise of alleged purported inducement of women and women groups for carrying out protest which at best is being sponsored and masterminded by some agents of government.

“Incitement of the members of the general public against our political party (PDP) to be seen as not only being irresponsible but also insensitive to the plights of Kwarans and Nigerians as regards this dangerous and dreadful Covid-19 virus.

“A further mischievous attempt to further drag the name and character of our highly exalted leader, the immediate past president of the senate of the 8th National Assembly Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki to disrepute which is highly uncalled for but which will be provocative to the numerous members of our great party and the party alike. This will however be unacceptable to us.

“In the light of the foregoing therefore we wish to crave your indulgence as follows: To use your good offices to cause an in depth detail investigations into the spurious, baseless and unfounded allegations against some chieftains of our great party and the party itself by Mr. Murtala Olarewaju.

“To take cognize of the contents and issues raised in this petition for record purposes and for the purpose of averting your men and officers from being used by the Kwara State Government at their whims and caprices for the purpose of illegally and unlawfully arresting the members and chieftains of our party on a concocted, ill motivated and imaginary purported allegation of inducement.”