Kwara PDP Members Embark On Street Protest Against ‘Unjust’ Remand of Party Leader, Allege Political Intimidation
By Omowumi Omotosho
Members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State, on Wednesday took to the streets in protest against the remand of a chieftain of the party and former chairman of Ilorin West Local Government , Alhaji Tajudeen Sulu-Oloje.
The remand was ordered by a magistrate court on Wednesday.
The Ilorin magistrate court, stated it lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case and adjourned the matter until October 21, 2024. In the meantime, Alhaji Sulu-Oloje was ordered to be held in a correctional facility within the state.
Addressing journalists after the court proceedings, the PDP members, led by State Chairman Hon. Babatunde Mohammed and Publicity Secretary Olusegun Olusola Adewara, voiced their discontent over what they called the “unlawful” arrest and remand of Alhaji Sulu-Oloje.
Holding placards with various slogans, they condemned the incident, accusing the authorities of harassment and intimidation.
The PDP members alleged that the arrest was carried out under the directive of the Kwara State Police Command in response to a petition filed against Sulu Oloje. They claimed that this is an orchestrated effort to stifle the opposition, particularly in the aftermath of the recent local government elections.
Both the PDP chairman and the publicity secretary pointed out that the charges against Alhaji Sulu-Oloje were identical to those brought forward during the local government election period, for which he had already been granted bail by the court.
“The Commissioner of Police in Kwara State is working with the Governor of Kwara State to harass, oppress and silence members of PDP. This is not about hearsay. This is not about they say, they say.
“This is a fact. This case we are talking about was a case of two fighting. Both PDP members and APC members wrote petitions to the police. The police chooses to only address the petition of APC, leaving the petition of PDP alone.
“And I must add that it was not only Alhaji Sulu that was attacked by APC hooligans. The chairmanship candidate in Isin local government, Honorable Michael Abatan, was attacked by the APC chairmanship candidate of Isin. On election day, his two vehicles were brutally bastardized, were brutally damaged by these same APC people. The police have never arrested an ant, not to talk of human beings. In Ekiti local government, the chairmanship candidate of our party was attacked. He was in hospital for seven days, police did not address it,” Adewara stated.
