“Politics shouldn’t get to the level of intimidating, killing” – Dele Adeleke

A Gubernatorial Aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Dele Adeleke has condemned in strong terms, the violence that riddled the Ad-Hoc Delegate Congress of the PDP in Osun State, held on Wednesday, February 23, 2022. He also commiserated with the families of party members who lost their lives yesterday.

Speaking through a statement made available to the Press, Adeleke stated that “politics should never get to this barbaric and archaic point, where we intimidate, maim and even kill people to win election. The particular attribute that makes us higher than mere animals is our capacity to manage varied interests and conflict, without descending into lawlessness and barbarism.”

“The PDP, a party that prides itself on the ideals of people-oriented politics, should not be found having its internal issues end in violence and the unfortunate death of party members who only came out to express their free desires”.

He further stated that “the PDP is a political party that should set example of peaceful conduct and all well-meaning leaders must rise to condemn this act of thuggery, violence and inhumanity that some persons within the party, displayed yesterday.”

“We are well aware of the persons within the party who are trying hard to foist their desires on other members through any means possible. We know their antics and we can only remind them that only God has the capacity to enthrone and to dethrone. We were all alive in 2018 when despite at the precipice of victory, the PDP by a strange twist of fate, ended up losing the election. This reminds us that no matter what we do as individuals, the final verdict on our ambitions will still come from God.”

He concluded with a message of condolence to the family of the party members who lost their lives in Iwo during the congress. “I commiserate with the families of those young men who were killed in the course of the violence that erupted in Iwo, Ife, Ipetumodu and parts of Osogbo and I condemn these violent acts in very strong terms. Nobody has to die for anybody’s ambition. Nobody deserves to lose their lives for the actualization of another person’s desires. While I pray that God grants the families of those slain the fortitude to bear the loss, I also call on Law enforcement Agencies to expedite actions in bringing the perpetrators to book”, he said.

Dele Adeleke is one of the leading contenders for the Governorship ticket of the PDP.