Press Statement
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is shocked and deeply grieved by the
devastating petrol tanker accident that claimed the lives of no fewer
than 25 compatriots including a whole family, students and school
children in an inferno in Felele area of Lokoja, the Kogi state capital.
Our party is extremely distressed by this horrid and traumatizing
incident, which, in a very painful manner, cut short the lives of
hardworking compatriots, brought instant anguish to families and painful
material losses to many.
It is even more disturbing that the fire raged without any intervention
by authorities, which would have helped mitigated the effect.
Indeed, the absence of fire and other emergency facilities around the
area, despite the frequent occurrence of such accidents in the past
signposts the failure and insensitivity of both the Federal and Kogi
state governments towards the dangers that daily confront the people.
Also, the major theatre of medical intervention in the state, the
Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Lokoja, had been under locks over a
needless controversy on COVID-19.
The recklessness of the state government has also increased the
fatalities of the number of victims affected in the ugly incident.
Furthermore, our party is shocked by the response of the Kogi state
Deputy Governor, Edward Onoja, who, instead of assuring of a definite
step to safeguard the lives of the people in the area, dwelt on lame
excuses, when he visited the scene of the accident.
The PDP demands the Federal Government to put instant traffic measures
to forestall such accidents as well as immediately establish emergency
facilities in the area.
Our party also calls on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of
Works and Housing, Babatunde Fasola, to leave the comfort of their
offices in Abuja and immediately visit the area as well as undertake a
tour of our highways to witness the sorry state of infrastructure across
our country, under their administration.
Indeed, the PDP mourns. Our thoughts and prayers go to the families of
the victims of this accident as well as others who have perished in
various road accidents due to the horrible state of our roads.
The PDP commiserates with the families of the victims, the Kogi State
Polytechnic, parents of the school children as well as the entire people
of Kogi state.
Our party prays God to grant the bereaved families the fortitude to bear
their grief as well as speedy recovery for the wounded.
Signed:
Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary
