Some Youth in Akure, Ondo State, on Friday protested and also demanded the arrest of a former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Mr Isaacs Kekemeke, over his comment to cause violence in the October 10 governorship election.
They explained that the statement of Kekemeke had shown that the All Progressives Congress had plans to cause violence in the state during the forthcoming election.
Speaking on behalf of the youth, Mr Oluwatuyi Adekanbi, said there was a need to call Kekemeke to order to avoid violence and crisis in the state during the election.
He said, “We call on the Federal Government mostly the President, Muhammadu Buhari, to come to the aid of Ondo State.
“We won’t allow anyone to be killed in the state because of an election. We don’t want any thug to be dragged into this election.
“We won’t allow anyone to bring militant to Akure or the state to cause trouble because we won’t take it.
“We are equally using this medium to warn that nothing must happen to anyone in the state particularly Akure indigenes during the poll.
“If anything untoward like shooting, killings happen in the election, we are calling on the IGP to hold Mr Kekemeke responsible for it.
“He has threatened our people with militants but they would be resisted with full force and we mean it.”
Reacting to the protest, Kekemeke said his statement in the viral video was only “political yabbies and jokes”.
He denied that he had the intention to cause violence on the day of the election, noting that he had always been a man of peace.
He said, “What I said was only political talk but it was misconstrued and twisted. I have no intention of what I have said, and I don’t have the capacity to do such.
“I am not an agent of violence, I am an agent of peace. I have advised that the youth should also resist being used by any politician.”
The Peoples Democratic Party had last week said it had written a petition to the police calling for the arrest of Kekemeke over his comment in the viral video.
Tee-Leo Ikoro, spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, could not confirm the receipt of the petition.