Ondo, ACN, PDP bicker over planned mayhem

THE government of Ondo State yesterday raised alarm about the impending security breakdown in the state, which it alleged was being planned by the opposition and made to look as if it was being done by the ruling Labour Party (LP).

In a statement issued by the state Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, the government further alleged that some desperate opposition politicians had taken delivery of shirts branded in LP colour and logo, which would be worn by paid thugs to unleash mayhem in the state.

But both the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have described the alarm as an act of desperation by the LP, which they said, wanted to hold on to power after losing popularity among the generality of the people of the state.

The duo of Segun Odidi of the ACN and Wale Ozogoro, the publicity secretary of the PDP, said events in the past had shown that the ruling party always looked for a scapegoat anytime it was planning evil on the political scene.

Akinmade, who said the plan was to bring thugs from neighbouring states, also disclosed that the state government had unraveled plans by the opposition to step up its attacks against the ruling party, as well as a campaign of violence in the state, using an Akure-based radio station and a national newspaper.

According to the statement where Akinmade said the opposition parties plan to continue to incite the public against the government by reeling out falsehood about it and its activities, “the opposition parties in its desperation, took delivery of vests with the inscription of the LP on them to be worn by sponsored hoodlums whenever they are unleashing mayhem in the state so as to give the impression of a violent LP.”

Akinmade further explained that the opposition party had also concluded the recruitment of young men it intended to bring on air at random to attack the person of Governor Olusegun Mimiko and his government, using its radio station.

He added that one of the opposition parties had also compiled fake documents with which it intended to launch an attack of calumny against the ruling government and incite the people against it.

Akinmade revealed that the opposition party had gone on air recently alleging that the bus shelters, which were constructed by the government, were done for N75 million each whereas each costs less than N6 million.

The statement also recalled that one of the series in the false information dissemination was a recent report by the party’s officials claiming the arrest of some officials of the state by anti-graft bodies.

The commissioner further said the alarm was recently raised concerning the falsehood published by the party regarding the defection of imaginary LP members “they claimed have been joining their party, but the truth came out last week when aspirants of the party who were already at each other’s neck, accused each other of false defection claims.

“This is the tradition in the party, which they still intend to intensify as the October 20 election date draws near.

“They have sworn to capture Ondo State to enable them have unhindered access to the state’s treasury for personal gains but their plans will fail,” Akinmade said.

The commissioner noted that agents of the party in the state had been boasting of a robust relationship with the anti-graft agencies in the country and threatened to use them against government officials.

Akinmade declared, however, that the LP would not be distracted.