Ondo guber: Political parties raise the alarm over alleged plot by APC to cause violence

Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure

Political parties in Ondo, under the aegis of Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), have raised the alarm over an alleged plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to foment trouble before and during the governorship election in the state.

The parties said the recent outburst of a former APC chairman that his supporters will engage in violence during the election call for concern, hence the need for security operatives to be at alert.

Addressing a press conference in Akure, CNPP Chairman, Rotimi Boboye, said the recent actions of APC members have shown the party has concluded to cause violence during the election.

He said: “We have observed the recourse to violence, intimidation and subterfuge by officials of the APC government in Ondo State. This dangerous development was manifested in the recent local government election largely boycotted by many political parties while a few of our members participated.

“In the said sham of an election, not only were candidates of participating parties intimidated, harassed and violently assaulted, voters were disenfranchised and figures concocted to meet the pre-planned agenda of the APC government.

“Rather than abate, such violence have taken new dimensions with meetings of political parties being invaded by known thugs of the APC, their cronies and agents.

“We are aware that this violence may not be unconnected with the well-articulated, though sinister, position expressed by Isaac Kekemeke, a self-confessed militant, who, not only boasted of being in possession of high calibre arms, but went ahead to name known harbingers of violence that are to be recruited to cause mayhem from within and without the state.”

He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the state governor to order and ensure peace reigns in the state before, during and after the governorship poll.