The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has condemned the assault on a member of the State House of Assembly representing Ilorin South State constituency, Hon. Abdulraheem Jimoh Agboola on the floor of the House by some of his colleagues.
It was gathered that on Wednesday morning, Hon. Owolabi representing Shaare/Oke-Ode Constituency, Hon. Babatunde Abdulkareem Paku representing Ipaye/Malete/Moro and Hon. Ali from Ilorin East physically assaulted Hon. Agboola, who is a member of the opposition PDP and stopped him from attending the proceeding of the House and witnessing the presentation of the State 2022 budget by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.
The lawmakers who are members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) insisted that Agboola who has been on illegal suspension for six months remain suspended and cannot be allowed to attend House proceeding.
Reacting to the development, the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Tunde Ashaolu described the incident as “provocative, saddening, completely unacceptable and an affront to democratic tenets.” He added that the action of the APC lawmakers amount to legislative rascality and should be condemned by all lovers of democracy.
Ashaolu said: “Our party views the physical assault on Honourable Agboola as nothing but an affront, not only to his person or our party but to the tenets of democracy, which is the very core foundation our nation was built upon. The attack on Agboola who is the lone opposition member in House is a show of shame and politics taken too far.
“The lawmakers have no right to stop their colleague who is an elected representative of his people from attending or participating in the proceeding of the House. They also do not have the powers to suspend him. His illegal suspension has for long denied the people of Ilorin South representation in the House.
“The rules and regulations of the Assembly do not support the harassment and witch-hunt of any member, but It is quite unfortunate that the Kwara State House of Assembly under the leadership of Yakubu Danladi has been turned into a circus.”
The Kwara PDP Publicity Secretary also alleged that the APC-dominated Assembly was trying hard to prevent Agboola from participating in the budget presentation and passage exercise to avoid scrutiny or questioning by the lone opposition lawmaker.
He added that this act shows that “contrary to the impression they want the public to have of them, the APC-led government of Abdulrazaq lacks commitment to transparency, accountability and probity.”
The Kwara PDP also condemned Governor Abdulrazaq for the delay in budget presentation, noting that “serious governors had since presented their states’ budgets which will give room for proper scrutiny by the legislators and allow their states implement the January to December budget cycle.”