OYO PDP CHIDES AJIMOBI OVER TEARGASSING OF POLY STUDENTS

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State yesterday deplored Tuesday's crackdown on the students of the Polytechnic, Ibadan protesting fee hike by security personnel attached to the state Governor, Abiola Ajimobi.

Policemen had dispersed the demonstrating students, who, in their hundreds, stormed the Agodi Government Secretariat, venue of an inter-faith service for the new governor, who assumed duty on the fateful day.

Their action had disrupted traffic flow and threatened to do same to the ceremony attended by civil servants in the state. But, the PDP, in a statement signed by the state Secretary of the party, Alhaji Bashir Akanbi, condemned the action of the security agents on the 'innocent' students, who, it noted were only pressing for the actualization of the Action Congress of Nigeria's electoral promise to reduce the fees immediately it assumed office.

The five paragraphed statement reads in part: 'The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its leadership in the state condemn in very strong terms, the social unrest and attack on the innocent students of the Polytechnic, Ibadan, who embarked on a peaceful march to the governor's office to demand for the actualisation of the promise of the ACN administration that their school fees would be reduced immediately it assumed office, only for them to be teargassed, beaten and even stripped by security personnel attached to the governors office.'

The release stated further that 'in just less than 24 hours after the inauguration of the Senator Abiola Ajimobi-led administration in the state, the peace enjoyed in the state was ruptured by the Alhaji Tokyo-led faction of the NURTW leaving at least two persons killed and several others injured, while property worth several millions of naira were destroyed, yet, the government of the day has not come out to state its position on the development and we begin to ask if the ACN was really prepared for the arduous task of governing a very sophisticated and enlightened state like Oyo or it wanted power at all costs just for the sake of it.'

The opposition party in the state, therefore, called on the government 'to rise to its responsibility and accede to the demands of the students and not allow the state to be plunged into unnecessary and avoidable unrest because that was part of its electioneering promises to them, unless it wants be seen as a government that does not keep its promises.'

It stressed: 'When we were campaigning, we promised to implement the 18 per cent minimum wage and we did. So, government should be seen to be truthful to its people and unless it wants the people to believe that it wanted their votes at all costs, hence, the deceitful promise to reduce school fees.'