Ahead of Ondo state governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Adelami Lamilaka Campaign organisation rooting for the ambition of Olaide Owolabi Adelami, has asked the security agencies to hold governor Akeredolu responsible if any life lost to the exercise.
The campaign team in a statement released in Abuja Tuesday, signed by Barrister Segun Ogodo, said governorAkeredolu, who is supposed to be the chief security officer of the state appears to be aiding and abetting gross insecurity in the state particularly in Owo, his hometown.
“For quite some times, Owo community has been living under palpable fears as guns and other dangerous weapons are being openly displayed with sporadic gunshots even in the day time without any challenge.
“The Police seems to be helpless as they complain of no operational vehicle for them to respond to emergencies. The questions people are asking is that could this be deliberate? Whose responsibility is it to provide essential working tools for security operatives in the state? Inspite of the huge security votes at the disposal of the Governor to be used in security the lives and property of the people, it is now being used to molest and harass perceived opponents.
“The authority and the general public are invited to note the challenging situation in Owo community and to further note that crimes related to killing and kidnapping of party stalwarts may not be far from the nefarious activities of this killer squad. The task, for them, became necessary as there are about six aspirants contesting against Mr Governor in his hometown, Owo.”
The campaign team asked the security agencies to “call on Nigeria Police Force, the DSS and Civil Defense to investigate and make proper arrest before July 20th primary election.
“Furthermore, it was gathered that these bad boys recruited into this heinous acts are given mandate to kill some popular APC aspirants and their supporters before the primary election. Some categories of APC strongholds loyal to these marked-for-death aspirants are to be bulldozed with cutlasses, pump-action guns and AK47 assault riffles bought for them.
“Just last week, one of the foremost aspirants and our principal, Chief Olayide Adelami, who hails from the same Owo town with Gov Akeredolu called for calm among his followers, as his campaign vehicle was seriously hit by bullets and machete from these cultists in Akeredolu’s camp. The vehicle driver, who happened to be one of the Adelami campaign frontrunners was targeted and seriously hit by bullets as occupants narrowly escaped death on that fateful day. Another woman, one of our loyalists from Owo, Mrs Esther Annunobi, whose house was ransacked and subjected to sporadic shooting was recently discharged from the hospital, after receiving treatment as a result of the shock received over the unpleasant incident.
“Mr Governor seems to have given the marching order to his aides that this election is a do or die affair for him, that it is either he wins or something else happens, they should do whatever they think would give him the victory regardless of the number of innocent lives that can be affected.
“In the meantime, several letters have been submitted to the Presidency and Inspector-General of Police office by one of the leading APC groups in the state, Ondo APC Mandate Group over the stock-pilling of arms by Akeredolu boys but up till now, neither investigation nor arrest has been made, this gives these bad boys an impression that nothing will happen to them, as promised by Gov. Akeredolu.
“For the last time, we hereby call on Nigeria Police Force, the DSS and Civil Defense to investigate and make proper arrest before July 20th primary election. Our fear is that, after the election the temple of their mobilization will not continue, and these boys will retire to armed robbery, kidnapping and terrorism, which are already happening along Owo-Akure and Owo-Akoko roads.
“A stitch in time saves nine. This is how Boko-Haram started and was treated with kid-gloves and the situation has become a National embarrassment with all the security services involved in fighting the insurgence.
“Gov. Akeredolu should be held responsible and be made to face the full wrath of the law, if any life is lost or threatened henceforth.”
