Tag: PDP

Thugs yesterday attacked members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Idanre, Idanre Local Government Area.

Six members of the party were hospitalised after the attack.

This is the first time violence attack was witnessed since campaign activities began ahead of this Saturday’s governorship election.

Ondo PDP Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Adeyemi Fasoranti, said one of the victims was Otunba Olowoniyi Akinleminu.

He said other victims were taken to the intensive care unit of the State Specialist Hospital for medical attention.

Olowoniyi said the thugs unleashed terror on the people because of the success of the party’s rally in the locality.

He said the thugs boasted that many would be killed before and during elections.

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Another PDP chieftain, Bosede Salami said, the lives of PDP members were being threatened by suspected political thugs and cultists invited by political gladiators in the town.

The Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Oladipo Abayomi, has directed the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID) to launch a full-scale investigation into the incident.

Oladipo said he convened a peace meeting by bringing together leaders of the two major political parties in the area and he urged them to maintain peace and prevent their supporters from inciting violence.

The Ondo CP spoke in a statement by the spokesman of the Ondo Police Command, SP Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya.

According to the statement, “Despite these efforts, however, disturbances erupted overnight, resulting in shootings and a breakdown of public order.

“The case, which has escalated into violence and attempted murder, is currently under investigation to ensure that those responsible are held accountable and that peace is restored in the area, particularly at such a critical juncture in the state’s history.

A coalition of civil society organisations in Ondo State has knocked the People’s Democratic Party and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State for calling for the removal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Babalola Oluwatoyin.

It said it was shameful that political actors intending to create chaos and tensions in the state were “attempting to use this negative and false narrative to achieve their devilish intentions”.

Speaking at a press briefing in Akure, the Chairman of the coalition, Franklin Oloniju, said they were worried about the activities of some political actors heating up the polity and creating uncertainty ahead of next week’s election. He said the coalition would stand firmly against any attempts to intimidate the Ondo REC because of her gender.

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He said: “We are particularly worried about the ongoing mobilization against the person of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC in the State. It seems this mobilization is being orchestrated to pre-empt the outcome of the election, disrupt the peaceful political atmosphere in the State, and as a way of instigating election violence, either during or after.

“This became more worrisome especially when the call from these quarters has not ceased even when the electoral management body has swiftly responded to the removal call of the REC by an Oyo State Governor through an unambiguous press statement.

“The State of Origin of the REC has never been in doubt in the past. These same political parties participated in the Edo State Governorship election and never questioned or campaigned against a REC that was accused of being a member of a political party and a brother of a well-known politician in the country.

“But has now found their voice because the REC in Ondo is a woman. We would like to state categorically that we will resist any gender-based violence and intimidation in the State, as we have always done.”