DailyrecordNg …Nigeria's hottest news blog
Related Articles
The party asserts that this alliance aims to compromise the legitimacy of the upcoming governorship election, exploiting MC Oluomo’s notoriety and capacity for coercion to unfairly influence the voting process.
The Ondo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised concerns regarding the state governor’s purported plan to collaborate with Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo, a contentious figure with ties to President Bola Tinubu.
The party asserts that this alliance aims to compromise the legitimacy of the upcoming governorship election, exploiting MC Oluomo’s notoriety and capacity for coercion to unfairly influence the voting process.
This accusation is contained in a press statement signed by Ayo Fadaka, Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), adding that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is planning to compromise security and tranquility in the state to rig the election in his favour.
The PDP also alleged that Ayedatiwa’s administration has been using the state’s security vote to fund violent activities and intimidate opponents.
The statement reads: “Due cognisance has been accorded to deft moves by Gov Lucky Ayedatiwa to compromise the peace and tranquility of our dear State as we inch towards the November 16th gubernatorial election in Ondo State. Towards accomplishing these dastardly goals, some strategic steps have been taken, and we have clearly decoded them.
“In the very recent weeks, a security Firm, Global Olabod Resources in a meeting in Idanre with farmers claimed that it has entered into a contract with Government to protect farmers and their farmstead.
“According to its Manager, one Debo Ariyo, the firm also has the leave of Mr Governor to coordinate all security activities in the State, a claim now being denied by Mr Gbenga Atiba, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security Matters to the effect that the company was only saddled with enumeration of farmers, however, we remain undeceived by his futile disguise of the intention of Government in this sinister goal.
“We posit that the essence of the Amotekun Security Network is to discharge the responsibilities this faceless organisation is being contracted for.
“We also note the visit to Ondo State last week of Mr Musiliu Akinsanya alias MC Oluomo, a Lagos-based APC enforcer who has played and continues to discharge terrible roles in compromising security/voting during elections in Lagos and South Western States during off-cycle elections.
“It is on record that Gov Ayiedatiwa rolled out the carpet to host him. Unconfirmed reports indicate that this fellow was gifted $1million at the end of his suspicious visit to Ondo State.
“We also note that a couple of APC members in Ondo East, Snr Apostle Akinmejiwa Olusola, Alhaji Adesina Salami, Akintunde Temitope Olainukan and others, aware of the murderous intent and capacity of their leaders briefed their Lawyers, Messrs Kuewunmi, Iluyemi & Co. to raise alarm and report to the police sundry threats to their lives by Rt Hon Olamide Oladiji, Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly simply because they accused him of stealing palliatives sent by the Federal Government, allocated to their Ondo East Local Government and the sum of N2.5million.
“Thus we take serious view that there exist a high propensity for the perpetration of violence in the APC, Ondo State, to the extent that stalwarts in the Party decided to immediately take action against their leaders, to safeguard their lives from being terminated unceremoniously underscores our conclusions to that effect.
“Arising from (4) above, we recall that during the governorship primary election which produced Lucky Ayiedatiwa as Candidate of the APC, violence, intimidation of opponents and their supporters was the order of the day.
“Many were seriously wounded, almost decapitated and crippled, thus we firmly wish to put on record that irresponsible attitudes of this nature must be eschewed in the forthcoming election in the interest of peace and progress of our State.
“We posit that the appointment of Global Olabod Resources as in (1) above, for whatever purpose is sinister and criminally designed to compromise the election through ballot snatching and intimidation of voters.
“Therefore, we demand that the appointment of these mercenaries be rescinded forthwith as their activities will very certainly generate an adequate response by the people.
“That we reject any plan to engage Musiliu Akinsanya for any purpose in Ondo State, we note and seriously underscore that he is a harbinger of violence everywhere he goes.
“His roles in the last Osun State Governorship election are well documented, just as he was vanquished in that election, he will also be vanquished with consequences here if Ayiedatiwa decides to recruit him and his ragtag team for the purposes of rigging election here, a word, they say is enough for the wise.
“We abhor violence as a Party, and we encourage the APC to be prepared to play by the rules, as failure to do just that will attract dire consequences. We may appear civil, but hereby warn that our civility is not an act of weakness.”
The party therefore urged the Inspector General of Police, Director General of Department of State Services (DSS) and Heads of other security agencies to take more interest in developments geared at causing security breach in Ondo State ahead of the governorship election.
