Thugs, apparently sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), today launched attack on the residence of the State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Engr. Ade Adetimehin.
It took the intervention of a team of policemen from the Elerinla Police Station, led by the DPO, Mr. Emmanuel Ehichioya, to salvage the tensed situation and save the party chieftain and his family.
For their inability to wreck sufficient havoc on the Chairman’s house, the thugs, chanting “Power to the People” headed straight to the party’s State secretariat, and set it ablaze.
The Ondo APC is stunned that a legitimate protest by youths could be employed to achieve political vendetta by setting the party’s secretariat on fire. The whole act of wickedness was premeditated; never by accident.
It is sad to note that the Peoples Democratic Party, could go this far to perpetuate what it could not achieve during the just concluded gubernatorial election in Ondo State.
The APC has it on good authority that the PDP has also perfected plans to target leaders of the APC that are either of Akure origin, or based in the capital city for attacks in the next couple of days.
The fact that the APC always prefer to err on the side of caution should not be mistaken for cowardice. The party has the followers and capability to contain such excesses from any aggressive party.
We therefore call on security agencies to wade in, and stop this senseless cruelty that is being unleashed by a political group. Members of the public, and indeed, APC leaders deserve protection. This is the only way to avert self-help.
The APC identifies with sincere and genuine agitation for a better Nigeria, but quick to add that what is happening in Akure is no longer a protest to end SARS, but a political aggression, resulting from electoral defeat.
The party however calls on its members to be calm and not allow themselves be dragged into unnecessary confrontation with the opposition.
Alex Kalejaye,
APC Publicity Secretary
Ondo State