Violent politicians should stay away from S’West —OPC

JULY 12, 2013  

Leader of a faction of the Odua People’s Congress, Gani Adams
:

Founder of the O’dua Peoples Congress, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, on Thursday warned politicians, who are already threatening violence during the forthcoming general elections in the country, to keep off the South-West because the group was prepared to return “violence for violence.”

Fasehun stated this in Ondo town during an interview with journalists after he received an award of excellence at the 10th anniversary celebration of the Federation of Ondo Ekimogun Students Union.

He said, “We swore to preserve the peaceful atmosphere in the South-West. We have been doing it for years and I thank God no insurgency is here, no crisis here, no assassination and no kidnapping. We thank God.

“I am not saying this is achieved due to the presence of OPC in the South-West but with the grace of God, and I pray that the peaceful atmosphere we enjoy in this part of the country will be sustained.

“OPC is determined to maintain peace. Politics does not embrace violence. I think Nigerians have realised that we can play politics without violence. But we are warning the politicians to please allow peace to reign.

“If anyone attempts to throw the country into crisis, we will wade in to confront such a person. So, we will not encourage violence but if anyone tries to import violence into this part of the country, we will not keep quiet or fold our arms. It will be violence for violence. So, the politicians are being warned.”

Fasehun insisted that the current insecurity in the northern part of the country was caused by politicians.

He added, “It is the politicians that are causing insecurity. Politics does not necessarily elevate violence. I hope you remember that in 2011, somebody came up and said, if President Goodluck Jonathan won the election, he would make the country ungovernable for him.

“We have warned those foot soldiers of autocracy that they can do whatever they like in their own part of the country but they should not bring violence into the South-West. If they bring violence into the South-West not many of them will go back from the region.”

Meanwhile, Fasehun, who is the Chairman of the Unity Party of Nigeria, has asked the Action Congress of Nigeria to guarantee the safety of Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele’s life.

Fasehun made this declaration in a statement on Thursday.

Bamidele was recently removed as the Leader of the Ekiti Caucus in the  House of Representatives for insisting on contesting the 2014 governorship election in the state.

Although, the ACN claimed that Bamidele’s ambition was in conflict with the interest of the party, Fasehun accused the party of practising “selectocracy” rather than democracy. He said the party needed to be taught a “bitter lesson” as they had compromised internal democracy.

He said, “What ACN is practising today is selectocracy, not democracy. It is clearly opposite to the democratic principles we fought for when we defied the military, supported M.K.O. Abiola and fought for June 12. The time has come for Yoruba people and all Nigerians to teach ACN a bitter lesson.

“The Ekiti saga must not be allowed to degenerate into violence as the ACN must guarantee the security of Honourable Opeyemi Bamidele.”