Oyo PDP Guber Candidate, Makinde Raises Alarm Over Political Violence

By Olusakin Babalola,Ibadan.

The gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Oyo state, Engineer Seyi Makinde has cried about the spate of violence attending the ongoing campaign exercises in the state.

“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,the governorship candidate said.

Speaking during an emergency press b conference in Ibadan on Tuesday,Makinde disclosed that in the past two weeks alone ,violent incidents have been witnessing across the state in places like Ogbomoso,Igbo Ora,Ojoo, Omi Adio,Oke Ado and in Oyo on Monday

He recommended that both the commissioner of Police and the State Director of State Security Service must call an emergency meeting of leaders of all political parties and commit them to an undertaking of peace.

“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”,he warned

Seyi Makinde enjoined religious and traditional leaders to invite all political party leaders to plead with them to sheath their sword and preach peace adding “ourthe political differences must not be allowed to translate into street wars”

He described as erroneous the impression created by the rueeling party that he deliberately avoided the BBC organised gubernatorial debate poonting out that he had a scheduled campaign before that invitation.

He said that he once attended the first ever Farmers public debate which Chief Adebayo Adelabu the APC governorship candidate himself avoided adding that he wondered why the APC supporters were now raising eye brows.