Police ban political campaigns on Kwara Eid grounds

Police nab Ondo monarch's abductors, recover weapons

The police have banned political campaigns, hailing of political gladiators, and shouting of party slogans on the Eid praying ground during the Eid-El-Fitri (Ramadan) prayers.

This was as the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party argued over the development.

The Kwara State Police Command, in a statement by Ajayi Okasanmi, Police Public Relations Officer, on Saturday assured the people of the state of a hitch-free Ramadan celebration.

“The Command is ready to do all within its powers to make the Eid praying ground the solemn place that it has always been known to be.

Recall that some youths disrupted the prayers during last year Eid-El-Kabir celebration at the Ilorin Eid praying ground when they started hailing the former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, in the presence of the state Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.

The intervention of security agents present at the scene prevented the situation from getting out of control.

Okasanmi in the statement said, “Political campaigns, hailing political gladiators, and shouting of party slogans, would not be accepted on the praying arena.

“Vehicles, tricycles and motorbikes are to be parked at designated  parking lots within the Eid praying ground. Observing prayers at road sides and along the routes to the praying ground would not also be allowed, hence restrictions of vehicular movements by 0800hrs into the Eid praying ground would be strictly enforced.”

However, the PDP, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Prince Tunji Morohunfoye, alleged that its key executive members had been arrested by police following a petition written by the APC “which is the ruling party in the state.”

Part of the statement read, “It has come to the attention of the Kwara State branch of the PDP that some of its members have been invited by the Kwara State Police Command to clarify some allegations raised by the APC/ Kwara State Government for questioning.

“The Chairman of the state PDP, the Secretary and legal Adviser were also invited by the Department of State Services on the same issue. Our members were questioned about plans to cause trouble at the Eid praying grounds during the Eid el-Fitr prayers.

Despite the PDP allegation, the Publicity Secretary of APC, Alhaji Folaranmi Aro, denied that the party had written any petition against the opposition party.

Aro said, “I’m not aware of any petition written against the PDP or any other political party in the state.”