GOVERNORSHIP candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has described the reported ban on political rallies and processions on the streets by the state government, as undemocratic.
It is recalled that the state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, had on Wednesday this week banned political street rallies and processions in the State.
The governor had said that only political rallies in designated areas and with prior notification to the state police command would be allowed henceforth.
The state government’s action was borne out of the weekend violent attacks on political rallies organised by the leading political parties in the state.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Wednesday, the APC governorship candidate said that the governor’s pronouncement is an attempt to frustrate the party’s campaigns in the state.
“They have made all efforts to frustrate our campaigns. Now they don’t want us to get there but we will get there by the grace of God. The governor’s statement is a case of someone hiding behind a finger. In a democracy how can you ban a rally?
“We are victims of their violence here. It must stop. I met with the police commissioner and he assured me that the police are up to the task of getting to the bottom of the violence. We must stop this.
“We have told the victims and our supporters not to retaliate. Our opponents don’t have anything to lose. They want to discourage our supporters from going out to campaign. No, we are going to campaign vigorously and our supporters will come out to vote en masse on the days of elections. The President is coming here next week and they cannot stop him from campaigning. They cannot also stop us from campaigning,” he said.
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