The Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Oyo State has urged the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to prevent further violence following clashes that occurred during the party’s congress in Ibadan on Saturday.
State chairman of the SDP, Michael Okunlade, made the appeal in a statement issued on Sunday, stressing the need to maintain the peaceful reputation of Oyo, popularly known as the Pace-Setter State.
Okunlade said preserving peace in the state is crucial, particularly as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.
According to reports, suspected political thugs disrupted local government congresses organised by a faction of the PDP believed to be loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The PDP in the state is currently divided into two camps — one aligned with Wike and the other with the state governor, Seyi Makinde.
The congresses organised by the Wike-backed faction across the state were reportedly marred by violence, with several vehicles vandalised by hoodlums whose identities remain unknown.
Okunlade said the SDP became aware of the disturbances through reports circulating on radio stations and social media platforms.
“We learned about the violence during the PDP congress via radio and social media yesterday (Saturday). As the 2027 elections draw near, we appeal to all political parties within the state to concentrate their campaigns on substantive issues,” he said.
“Furthermore, we caution the PDP against turning the state into a battleground in the run-up to the 2027 elections. The party should coordinate its activities in the best interest of residents,” he added.
The SDP chairman also called on the Nigeria Police Force in the state to caution political leaders against using their influence to instigate unrest.
“This also constitutes a call to the state police to caution major political figures against misusing their influence for personal advantage and inciting chaos.
“We implore law enforcement authorities to diligently monitor the activities of all political actors as the 2027 elections approach,” he said.
Okunlade further reaffirmed the SDP’s commitment to maintaining peace and unity among its members as political activities intensify ahead of the next general elections.
“The SDP remains steadfast in its commitment to uphold peace and unity among supporters. I urge all SDP members to remain loyal and dedicated as we prepare to assume leadership in 2027. No form of indiscipline among members will be tolerated,” he concluded.
