PDP Criticizes Fayose for Politicizing Oyo Abduction
The Southwest Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly condemned former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose's comments regarding the recent abduction in Oyo State, labeling them as reckless, insensitive, and politically dangerous. Fayose had alleged during a television program that the bandit attack in Oriire Local Council of Oyo State might have been orchestrated by Governor Seyi Makinde to blackmail President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a statement issued by the Southwest Zonal Publicity Secretary, Chief Sanya Atofarati, the PDP accused Fayose of displaying glaring double standards on the issue of insecurity. Atofarati highlighted the hypocrisy in Fayose's stance, pointing out that armed men attacked a church in Eda-Oniyo, Ilejemeje Local Council, Ekiti State, killing a visiting pastor and abducting several worshippers who remain in captivity. Eda-Oniyo is located just 30 minutes from Afao-Ekiti, Fayose's hometown. Yet, Fayose neither accused Governor Biodun Oyebanji of negligence nor demanded answers from the state government regarding the deteriorating security situation while innocent citizens remained in captivity.
Atofarati further noted that Fayose recently appeared in Ilawe-Ekiti, within Ekiti Southwest Local Council, where he openly met and fraternized with APC members and political leaders in furtherance of his campaign for the APC governor. During this visit, Fayose demonstrated no empathy for the victims of the Eda-Oniyo attack nor used his platform to demand urgent action from the government. This selective outrage, according to the PDP, exposes the insincerity behind his comments on the Oyo incident and confirms that his criticisms are driven by partisan calculations rather than concern for victims of insecurity.
Senator Buhari Urges Evidence-Based Allegations
Similarly, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, representing Oyo Central, has called on political actors to refrain from politicizing Nigeria's security challenges. Buhari, a member of the APC, insisted that allegations against Governor Makinde must be supported by verifiable evidence rather than speculation or social media narratives. He made these remarks while addressing newsmen at the Senate, speaking on recent insecurity incidents in parts of the South-West, including the abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State, which he described as deeply tragic and emotionally devastating for affected families and communities.
Buhari cautioned against what he termed reckless attribution of blame without investigative proof, warning that such narratives risk undermining ongoing security operations. He stated, "If you make an allegation, you must provide evidence. We cannot politicise the lives of children who were abducted and families who are still in pain." The senator, who represents a constituency directly impacted by the security crisis, recounted the scale of the attack, describing it as one of the most harrowing he had witnessed. He detailed reports of killings during the incident, including a teacher allegedly beheaded and another shot while attempting to escape, as well as civilians caught in crossfire during the chaos. He also noted that entire communities were temporarily deserted in the aftermath, forcing security agencies to deploy military and police reinforcements, alongside aerial surveillance operations, to restore order and confidence in the affected areas.
Buhari emphasized that the complexity of the situation requires careful, intelligence-driven responses rather than public speculation or politically motivated commentary.
