Oyo APC chides Makinde over comments on Ondo guber poll
BY STEPHEN GBADAMOSI
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has expressed concern over an alleged attempts by Governor Seyi Makinde to heat up the polity in Ondo State ahead of the November gubernatorial election, warning that the desired free and fair conduct of the poll is under threat, as a result of the governor’s statements.
APC also alleged “certain underhand dealings aimed at compromising the process.”
Governor Makinde was reported to have made some scathing remarks against the Federal Government, security agencies and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akure on Monday during the campaign flag-off of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of next month’s governorship poll in Ondo “State,” the party said.
In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC urged INEC, security agencies and relevant stakeholders to watch out for some “desperate elements who might want to employ cheap blackmail and intimidation in their desperate bid to mess up the proper conduct of the November poll in the Sunshine State.”
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“We found the public conduct of Governor Makinde in Ondo State yesterday (Monday) highly embarrassing, as he did not represent the good people of Oyo State who have a chequered record of peace keeping and brotherliness with the rest of the country, particularly in the whole of Yorubaland.
“It is rather unfortunate that a supposed leader from the Pacesetter State would go to a sister state to intimidate the indigenous population in the guise of giving an address during a political campaign.
“Also, we make bold to say that Governor Makinde lacks the moral rights to accuse anyone of plans to compromise the conduct of an election, since his emergence as winner of the 2019 and 2023 governorship elections in Oyo State were made possible on account of abracadabra and unprecedented sharp practices.
“Very soon, we will make public details of his conspiracy with certain academics and authorities in the University of Ibadan in 2019 which handed him victory through the back door.
“The same Governor Makinde repeated his antics in 2023 with the connivance of some unscrupulous elements within and outside the political turf to secure an unmerited victory; but we have put that behind us.
“Meanwhile, the electoral heist committed by Governor Makinde and his cohorts during the last botched local government poll in the state would remain indelible in the sad chapter of the history of the country.
“The said council election was not only wilfully compromised and bastardised, as its sad outcome formed the basis for increased efforts by the relevant stakeholders to sanitise the local government system in the country.
“Pointedly, Governor Makinde should realise that the INEC chairman is not Aare Isiaka Olagunju of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) who he can use to write results in favour of his party (PDP) anytime.
“The order for the removal of the Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) was irresponsible, reckless and uncalled for, but we understand Govovernor Makinde played to the gallery again in his usual style, as it exposed his naivety.
“As a matter of fact, the PDP stands no chance of winning the November poll in Ondo and it is time the jesters in the umbrella party began preparation for 2028,” APC added.
