Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives candidate for Idanre/Ifedore federal constituency in Ondo State, Mr Kayode Akinmade has raised the alarm over an alleged plan by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to sponsor attack against his supporters before the Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections.
Akinmade alleged that the ruling party had brought some heavily-armed thugs to his constituency with the aim of attacking the opposition political leaders ahead of the polls.
He alleged that the political thugs were already in the constituency armed with various weapons.
He, therefore, called on security agencies in the state to urgently step in to avert what he described as “impending bloodbath” should the thugs be allowed to carry out their evil agenda.
Akinmade who was a former Commissioner for Information in the state said the state chairman of the APC, Mr Ade Adetimehin, who hails from his area should be held accountable for any breakdown of law and order in Idanre/Ifedore federal constituency.
He accused Adetimehin of importing the armed thugs into the towns that make up the constituency, alleging further that “while some of the thugs are already in Idanre, some are housed somewhere in Akure from where they will move in to unleash terror on the town.”
“Credible information available to us shows that the thugs have been mandated to attack some specific polling centres considered to be PDP strongholds on the day of the elections. The aim is to create a situation that would lead to the cancellation of votes in the areas and foster the “Osun strategy” that would lead to inconclusive polls, thereby precipitating a situation of bye-elections that would possibly give them an advantage,” he said.
He added that “we are particularly worried at this latest development because of Mr. Adetimehin who happens to be the APC chairman is a son of Idanre; we, therefore, wonder why he wants to wreck havoc his hometown just because the majority here have chosen to be with PDP.
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“Ours is a civilised and peaceful community where everyone is free to exercise their freedom of choice. Hence, we in PDP do not see elections as a do-or-die affair.
“And that is why we are calling on Nigerians and the international community to help prevail on APC chairman in Ondo State to allow for peaceful and credible elections come Saturday,” he added.
Reacting, the APC denied the allegations, saying the party remains the choice of the people of the constituency and the party would win the constituency without any hitch.
The party’s Director of Publicity, Steve Otaloro, said the PDP candidate was crying wolf where there was none because of his fear of losing Saturday’s election.
Also, he exonerated the state chairman of the party from any unlawful act, saying that the chairman is a responsible politician who has no link with any thug within or outside the state, adding that he is a popular politician who needs no thug to win an election in his constituency.