Suspected thugs allegedly loyal to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State on Sunday reportedly attacked and dispersed party loyalists and stakeholders from the Kwara South and Kwara Central senatorial districts who were protesting the outcome of the weekend House of Representatives primary.
Protesters decry 'charade of democracy'
The Guardian gathered that hundreds of protesters marched to the APC secretariat on Commissioner Road, Ilorin, to register their dissatisfaction with the primary, which they described as a “charade and mockery of democracy.”
According to eyewitness accounts, the thugs arrived at the scene allegedly on the invitation of a top party member and immediately unleashed violence on the protesters, who fled in different directions for safety.
Victim recounts ordeal
A female victim, Madam Nofisatu Abdullahi, said she was caught in the chaos and sustained injuries. “I didn’t know things would turn this way. See bruises all over my body. This is not fair treatment for me, a faithful party loyalist,” she said.
Another protester, Ibrahim Idowu, threatened to defect to another political party, saying, “Wallahi, APC is not worth dying for.”
Allegations of imposition
Meanwhile, APC youth coordinator in Kwara South, AbdulGafar Alawode, alleged that the primary was marred by imposition rather than democratic process. According to him, the candidate eventually announced for the Ifelodun/Oyun/Offa federal constituency seat was forced on party members.
“I couldn’t believe when I started hearing the counting from 1–14, then jumped to 25, 26, 38, 62. What a mockery of democracy,” he said.
Alawode added that attempts to protest the outcome at the party secretariat were met with violence instead of dialogue, alleging that party faithful were brutalised. He insisted that members from Kwara South and Kwara Central would not accept the outcome of the exercise, describing it as “unacceptable and condemnable.”
