The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State have exchanged sharp accusations following the disruption of an empowerment programme organised by the Kwara Central APC Women Leader, Tawakalitu Agaka (popularly known as Hajia Tawa).

The event, held on Saturday at Agaka’s family residence in Ilorin, targeted women, youths and widows and reportedly involved cash support for about 200 beneficiaries.

Trouble began when a group of people, alleged to be PDP supporters, arrived at the venue and started chanting and verbally confronting Agaka and some APC supporters. A video from the scene showed some individuals shouting “ole,” while others responded with “Sai Kayi.” 

Security personnel intervened to stop the situation from escalating.The incident has sparked a war of words between the two parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.Reacting on Sunday, Ibraheem Abdullateef, Senior Special Assistant to the Kwara State Governor on Communications, accused supporters of former Senate President Bukola Saraki and PDP governorship candidate Bolakale Kawu of trying to reintroduce political thuggery into the state. 

He said Agaka had done nothing wrong by organising the programme and mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and other APC candidates.Abdullateef described the episode as an attempt to bring back the “thuggery and hooliganism” that characterised the period between 2003 and 2019 under previous leadership. 

He argued that the current administration had ended such practices and that residents should be free to support any party without harassment. He urged people to reject the PDP in 2027.The PDP rejected the claims. Its Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Adewara, said Abdullateef’s remarks reflected frustration within the AbdulRazaq administration. 

The party insisted it was wrong for a government official to label residents “thugs and hooligans” simply for protesting the empowerment programme.According to the PDP, the people who confronted the organisers were concerned residents expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s performance, not political thugs. 

The party questioned the timing of the programme, alleging that the community had been neglected for years and that the sudden assistance was a politically motivated gesture ahead of the 2027 elections. It described the effort as “last-minute woman leader Greek gifts” and challenged any attempt to introduce “Dibo ko sebe” politics.

The PDP maintained that residents had the right to reject such gestures and demand accountability, and it called on Governor AbdulRazaq to apologise to the people of Agaka for his aide’s comments.Security personnel prevented the confrontation from turning violent, and the empowerment programme continued. 

Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users