The Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Kwara state, has condemned Kwara state government and its agents, for its habitual use of State forces to harass and victimize dissenting voices within the State.
The Party particularly frowned at one Rafiu Ajakaye, the Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor, for using state powers to detain two journalists in the state.
The two journalists who are blood brothers, are sons of Kunle Akogun, a veteran journalist and the Director of Corporate Affairs of the University of Ilorin. Whilst Abdulrasheed Akogun is the publisher of Fresh Insight News/TV, a platform popular for exposing systemic corruption, Dare Akogun is a reporter with Sobi FM, Ilorin.
The Party in a statement signed by its State Chairman, Alhaji Azeez Afolabi, said it was disheartening for a journalist like Rafiu Ajakaye to subject fellow journalists like himself to unjust treatment using state power, while reminding him that his appointment has an expiry date.
The statement reads in part: “The Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Kwara state finds it distasteful to learn of the unnecessary detention of two journalists, incidentally, from the same mother.
“These two journalists who have in no small measure contributed to fighting systemic corruption via their mediums, are prides to the state, their integrity also worthy of emulation, have been unjustly incarcerated.
“We call on the Nigerian police to release them immediately or charge them to court first thing tomorrow morning, as the Akoguns are ready to defend themselves in a competent court of law, we urge the police not to be a political tool in the hands of the inept APC government in the state.
“And for Ajakaye, we use this medium to remind him that his appointment has an expiry date, and Kwarans are waiting to kick-out the inept government he is serving in the forthcoming polls”, it concluded.
