A Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin has remanded the State Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olusegun Adewara, over alleged defamation against the government.
Adewara was arraigned on Thursday before the court presided over by Justice T.S Umar on a two-count charge bordering on alleged defamation and public disturbance.
Reacting to the development in a statement issued by the Assistant State Publicity Secretary of the party, Bashir Ashura, the PDP condemned the remand of its spokesperson, describing it as politically motivated.
They alleged that the prosecution of the party’s spokesperson was “a deliberate attempt by the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq-led administration to intimidate opposition voices and silence critics of government failures in the state.”
The opposition party further accused the state government of focusing on critics instead of addressing insecurity and other socio-economic challenges confronting residents.
“It is deeply unfortunate that a government which has failed woefully in addressing the worsening insecurity across Kwara State is now channelling state resources toward the harassment and intimidation of citizens who dare to speak against its shortcomings,” the statement read.
The party also accused the administration of poor governance, lack of transparency in public spending and inability to provide solutions to challenges facing the state.
“It is condemnable and unacceptable that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, whose popularity continues to decline across the state due to his administration’s inability to deliver good governance, has resorted to using the instruments of government to victimise opposition members and suppress dissenting voices,” the statement added.
The PDP maintained that democracy thrives on freedom of expression and not intimidation or political persecution.
“The Kwara PDP therefore calls on Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to immediately stop the intimidation of opposition and instead come before the people of Kwara to explain why insecurity has continued to escalate under his watch despite huge allocations and public resources available to his administration,” the statement added.
The party further questioned the priorities of the state government, noting that many communities were battling insecurity, unemployment, poverty, decaying infrastructure and economic hardship.
According to the statement, “while communities across the state continue to suffer from insecurity, unemployment, poverty, decaying infrastructure, and economic hardship, the government appears more focused on targeting critics than solving the real problems affecting Kwarans.”
The PDP reaffirmed its commitment to defending democracy, justice and the constitutional rights of citizens, insisting that no amount of intimidation would silence the opposition.
“No amount of intimidation or harassment will silence the opposition from speaking truth to power and holding the government accountable to the people,” the statement said.
The party also urged security agencies, the judiciary and other relevant authorities to remain professional and avoid being used as instruments of political oppression against opposition members in the state.