The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Eyitayo Jegede, has disowned suspected thugs arrested with firearms at Ifon in Ose Local Government.
He was scheduled to stop at Ifon as part of his local government campaign tour.
The suspected hoodlums were inside a Toyota Sienna bus branded with Jegede’s campaign pictures.
Last week, supporters of Jegede and Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu clashed at Oba Akoko in Akoko South West Local Government. Eight persons were injured and several vehicles destroyed.
The Chairman of Jegede Campaign Organisation, Gbenga Akinmoyo, alleged in a statement that the public had been made aware of plans by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to adorn political thugs in PDP branded materials to unleash mayhem on itself and political gathering of other parties, with a view of putting the blame on the PDP.
He alleged that an APC chieftain boasted of militancy, arms and ammunition.
The statement alleged: “The information about the arrest of some hoodlums in branded vehicles wearing PDP logo at Ifon in Ose Local Government while our campaign train is due to make a stop in the town is nothing but an attempt by the APC to make good its evil plans.
“While thanking the security agencies for their vigilance in averting a needless mayhem, we urge the public to remain focused and not fall for the antics of the ruling APC, who are determined to draw us into unproductive arguments that can distract us from the issues that border on the welfare of our people and failure of the APC government in addressing them.”
But spokesman for the Akeredolu Campaign Organisation, Olatunde Richard, said they were shocked by what he termed show of shame by the major opposition party in the state caught napping in a web of violence and thuggery.
He said it was a relief for the police to seize the sophisticated guns, live cartridges and machetes, which could have been used to kill innocent people.
Richard said: “While we praise the police authority for its gallantry efforts at arresting these hooligans, we condemn this act in strong terms and call for more investigation into the PDP campaign activities.
“This is happening despite appeals to politicians to allow peace reign before, during and after the governorship election, making one to ask if the PDP and thuggery are Siamese twins.”
The Nation