Oyo Stampede: PDP Sympathizes With Govt, People 

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-west has sympathised with the government and people of Oyo State over the tragic Christmas Funfair, which led to the loss of lives of children in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Stampede at the venue of a children’s Christmas party at the Islamic High School, Basorun, Ibadan, on Wednesday had resulted in multiple loss of lives and injuries. 

The PDP South-west Publicity Secretary, Chief Sanya Atofarati, who mourned the death of the children, condoled with Governor Seyi Makinde and the families of the affected in the unfortunate incident and prayed that God consoles them. 

Atofarati, in a statement in Ado Ekiti on Friday said that the incident, which was the outcome of the resort to freebies that attracted huge number of children, was avoidable if the Federal Government made deliberate efforts to improve citizens’ living standards.

The PDP stated: “We are using this incident to call on the Federal Government to improve the standard of living in Nigeria. What happened is as a result of poverty in the land.

“The Federal Government should intensify efforts in ensuring that there is provision of adequate jobs for parents to be able to take proper care of their children and also to improve standards of living in the country. The event is quite unfortunate. 

“The PDP in the South-west sympathises with the people and government of Oyo State over the unfortunate incident and the accompanying stampede and loss of lives of children. We prayed that God consoles the families that lost their children in the incident.”

Atofarati, however, lauded the swift intervention of the Makinde-led government of Oyo State and the rescue efforts which saved the lives of some of the children who sustained injuries and the probing of the incident.