PDP’s Akingbaso raises alarm over invasion of Idanre by APC thugs

…thumps up electorate for turnout, INEC

…says security agencies allow thugs to operate freely

Festus Akingbaso, deputy governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has raised an alarm over the invasion of Idanre local government area, one of the 18 local government areas that make up Ondo State, by political thugs from the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC).

Akingbaso, a current member of the House of Representatives, spoke to newsmen after casting his vote at Polling Unit 005, Oke Imikan in Idanre, calling to come out and disperse the political thugs.

Although a visit by BusinessDay to Idanre showed that the election started on time at 8:30 am and electorate were casting the ballots peacefully, including Akingbaso himself. He however expressed his satisfaction with the turnout of the electorate as well as the conduct of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

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“The turnout of voters is not bad, the security situation is also not bad. I have not seen anything wrong at this moment. I also want to commend INEC because it has not performed badly so far.
“My advise to the voters is that whenever they cast their votes, they should wait behind and keep watch until the final result has been announced. If everything goes as planned, my party will win”, he said.

Speaking on the alleged invasion of Idanre by the suspected APC thugs, Agboola Ajayi’s running mate in PDP, said: “Information reaching me is that the majority of the villages are filled with thugs allegedly brought in by the APC. At the moment, all the villages are occupied with thugs. Villages like Ofosun and Omifunfun are occupied.

“There is a place called Igbepo where suspected thugs are in their numbers in Idanre local government area. An incident happened in Ofosun where suspected thugs broke into the house of a party member to prevent him from voting. We were informed that there are plans not to allow people in the villages to vote.

“Since Friday, the APC has been alleged to have brought in suspected thugs. I have reported the matter to the DPO and DSS. To my expectation, the security agencies have not been able to do anything.”