Violence: Ahmed petitions Jonathan

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State has petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan and leaders of security agencies over the recent spate of political violence in the state which he claimed was being perpetrated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The development came as leader of the APC in the state and Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Dr. Bukola Saraki, asked security agencies to hold the PDP gubernatorial candidate in the state, Senator Simon Ajibola, responsible for the acts of violence.
He said it was sad that every report of violence so far has been traceable to the presence of the PDP candidate’s rallies.
Ahmed, who made the disclosure while speaking with newsmen in Olooru, Moro Local Government during a campaign tour of the area, said the rate at which hoodlums allegedly working for the PDP have been attacking members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has become worrisome and must be stopped through every legitimate means.
Both the governor and Saraki were responding to questions on the weekend attack on APC members and destruction of the party’s billboards at Osi and Obbo-Aiyegunle, both in Ekiti Local Government and home council to the PDP candidate.
Ahmed said the focus of the petition was to forestall a recurrence and allow for free and fair election in the state.
He said: “The violence in the two communities in Ekiti Local Government allegedly perpetrated by PDP thugs is an unfortunate situation and we have written our petition to the President, Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, and other stakeholders on security, including the National Security Adviser (NSA) and DSS, alerting them on the new spate of violence that has been started by the PDP the moment it started its campaigns in the state.
“Don’t forget that we had our campaign in about 14 local government areas hitch-free without any violence. Violence started when PDP commenced its campaigns with sporadic shootings and attacks. The petition to the security agents is to forestall this kind of violence and allow for free and fair electoral processes.”