Ondo APC primary: Stop Akeredolu from causing crisis, Adelami team tells security agents

To ensure a hitch – free governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state, there is the need to prevail upon the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu to contain political miscreants being used to foment troubles in parts of the state.

Making this observation, the Adelami Lamilaka Campaign organisation supporting  the gubernatorial aspiration of Olaide Owolabi Adelami charged the police, State Security Service , Civil Defence and other security operatives to hold Akeredolu responsible should there be a break down of law and order during the APC primary exercise.

The governor was alleged to be heating the polity ahead of the exercise by failing to contain certain elements who are a security threat causing security  breaches in the state, particularly in Owo, the governor’s home town.

The campaign organisation in a statement released in Abuja Tuesday, signed by Barrister Segun  Ogodo, accused Akeredolu, who is supposed to be the chief security officer of the state of  aiding and abetting gross insecurity in the state. 

Ogodo in the statement said “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”. 

Worried about the inability of security agents to stem the ugly development, the campaign team said “the Police seem 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? 

” In Spite of the huge security votes at the disposal of the Governor to be used in securing  the lives and property of the people, it is now being used to molest and harass perceived opponents”. 

The Adelami Lamilaka Campaign organisation  noted that  the challenging situation in Owo community and  crimes related to killing and kidnapping of party stalwarts may not be far from the nefarious activities of this killer squad. 

This, the team said, became necessary as there are about six aspirants contesting against the governor in his hometown, Owo.

They, therefore,  asked  security agencies (Nigeria Police Force, the DSS and Civil Defense) to investigate and make proper arrest before the July 20th primary election. 

“Furthermore, it was gathered that these bad boys recruited into this heinous acts are given a 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 rifles 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. 

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“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 insurgency. 

“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”, the statement read.