Today’s streak of events in Akure, the Ondo State capital, is saddening, to say the least. At a time the United States of America concluded an epochal presidential election in which everything was done decently, Nigeria unfortunately was tethered by the powers-that-be to a stone age that pundits had prayed that the country should break loose from.
The ruling All Progressives Congress, leveraging on the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Akure, simply bore its fangs, directing all its arsenal at everything that represented the governorship hopeful of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN). Starting from the wee hours of the day up till this morning, APC thugs, under the supervision of the party chieftains, had hit the streets in Akure, the state capital, pulling down the billboards of Jegede and tearing his posters, in a desperate attempt to hoodwink President Buhari into believing that the party is popular in Ondo State.
The vandalism reached a crescendo at about 7: am today when the APC thugs mounted the pedestrian bridge at Oja-Oba, in Akure, and pulled down the banners of Jegede and his running mate, Mr. John Ola Mafo.
While it is true that Jegede is at the Court of Appeal, trying to reclaim his mandate from Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, one wonders the law relied upon by the APC chieftains and their thugs to pull down his billboards and banners and also tear his posters, simply because Buhari was being expected.
It is our conviction that Jegede will not concede the substitution of his name as the PDP governorship candidate to Ibrahim and that is why he is at the Court of Appeal to obtain justice. While the security agents are aware of this fact and know that Jegede’s posters and other insignias of electioneering are still permitted pending the final discharge of all suits relating to the contest, one wonders when the APC chieftains and thugs became law enforcement agents to destroy Jegede’s emblems.
After all, all the losers at the APC raucous primary election still have their posters and other emblems intact.
Again, it is noteworthy that Governor Olusegun Mimiko, who is the Chief Security Officer of the state, has in all respects been tolerant of opposition and has even been urging those of them that are unruly to calm down.
The APC has, therefore, by this act, told the people of Ondo State to expect a riotous and oppressive leadership, a leadership intolerable of any form of opposition, once it is voted into power.
But Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) and all his supporters are not dismayed in any way, neither are the real members of the PDP, as we believe that justice will prevail; same way that good will prevail over evil.
Thank you.
(Signed)
Kayode Fasua,
Head, Media and Publicity.