The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State has raised the alarm over an alleged influx of armed men and women allegedly mobilised by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to disrupt the peaceful conduct of Saturday, July 16 gubernatorial election.
The PDP in a statement signed by its chairman, caretaker committee, Akindele Adekunle and made available to newsmen in Osogbo, called on the security agencies to stop any attempt by the suspected hoodlums to disrupt the polls.
“We are in possession of reliable reports of political thugs mobilised by the All Progressive Congress now arriving in various parts of Osun State.
“In a countdown to the election day on Saturday, Osun State is witnessing the influx of armed men and women whose sole goal is to violently disrupt the peaceful conduct of the election.
“It is already in the public domain that thugs imported from Lagos are already lodged at various hotels in Osun, including Blue Petals Hotels very close to the seat of government at Abere.
“We have reports that such daredevil hands have been deployed to various zones, including Iwo zone where a PDP party agent was shot at and Osogbo axis where the residence of the governorship candidate of Labour Party was attacked. The increasing number of attacks and the unchecked activities of thugs across the state pose serious danger to the peaceful conduct of Saturday elections.
“We particularly charge the newly deployed Police Election Commissioner and the Deputy Inspector-General of Police posted to Osun state to take judicious note and urgently act to arrest the situation.
“The security agencies should not wait until citizens resort to self-help before the menace of party thugs is nipped in the bud.
“We repeat the call of our governorship candidate for an urgent review of security architecture for the election. We call on the security agencies to conduct a security audit.
“If various appeals from well-meaning stakeholders are not acted upon, the authorities should be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order in Osun State.
In a swift reaction, the APC state campaign council spokesperson, Sunday Akere, described the PDP allegation as laughable and a sign of a party that anticipates failure.
He said the APC was not known for violence, but for organising proper election and wooing residents to come out en masse to vote for its candidate, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, and it does not engage in frivolities like engaging thuggery.
“We are focused on the goal, which is winning Saturday’s poll by mobilising residents to throng voting units and cast their votes consciously for Oyetola. We can’t engage the PDP, it’s a mud fight”, he said.
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