Our Reporter
A GROUP, the Democracy Action Vanguard, on Sunday called for the arrest and prosecution of a former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Mr. Isaac Kekemeke, for threatening that the ruling party would deploy armed thugs and federal might to crush the opposition in the coming governorship election.
Kekemeke, one of the APC governorship aspirants, who recently reconciled with the candidate of the party in the October governorship election and incumbent governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), had in a viral video obtained by SaharaReporters threatened that the ruling APC would deal ruthlessly with the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN).
He had said: “We will use National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) members and thugs loyal to us (APC) to win this election at all costs. Jegede (PDP candidate) is only crying foul that they tore his posters in town. He has not seen anything yet. Governor Akeredolu is the only one dealing with him now and he has started crying. When the Federal Government arrives the state for the election, he will run away.
Reacting to the video, Democracy Action Vanguard, in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Mohammed Alhassan and made available to reporters in Abuja, called on the Inspector General of Police, the Department of State Services and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) to arrest, investigate and initiate prosecution proceedings against the APC chieftain and his collaborators without delay.
Read Also: Kekemeke: I’am candidate to beat in Ondo
According to the group, it is brazenly illegal and provocative for a ruling party to threaten violence and the use of federal might to win elections.
The statement said: “It is indeed unfortunate that 21 years into the restoration of civil rule, a high-ranking member of APC, a party which got into power through the electoral reforms initiated by the past PDP administration, will turn around to threaten fire and brimstone on the opposition in a desperate bid to win the October 10 poll in Ondo State at all costs.
“The threat is in fact doubly unfortunate given that the mindless violence that characterised the 1983 governorship election in Ondo State was one of the major factors that led to military rule and the abolition of the Second Republic, a tragedy for which Nigerians paid dearly.
“Kekemeke must explain APCs plans to intimidate the people of Ondo State and rig the October 10 governorship poll. It is instructive that he mentioned the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, while threatening to deal with Jegede in Ondo State. Those mentioned in the video, including Bello, should be quizzed.
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