Ahead of the All Progressives Congress governorship primary in Ondo state, the campaign camps of two leading aspirants once again traded words over the destruction of campaign billboards across the state.
The Wale Akinterinwa Campaign Organisation (WACO), for the third time, accused loyalists of the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, of destroying billboards belonging to the campaign organization.
However, in a swift response, the Lucky Ayedatiwa Campaign Organisation described the allegations against its supporters as ridiculous and baseless, saying it’s an attempt to disparage the irresistible popularity of the governor.
While WACO called the attention of the leaders of the party to order the foot soldiers of the governor over the attacks and wanton destruction of the group’s billboards and property.
In a statement signed by the Spokesperson of WACO, Segun Ajiboye, raised the alarm over the wanton destruction of property and billboards of governorship aspirants by political thugs loyal to Aiyedatiwa.
Ajiboye in the statement stated that: “The thugs of O’datiwa, the armed wing of the Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation, were again unleashed on the hapless citizens in Ore, Odigbo local government area of the state. During the attack, the thugs destroyed a large billboard of Wale Akinterinwa.
“The latest attack is coming on the heels of the recent destruction of billboards and property belonging to other aspirants in Akure, the state capital, and other areas across the state.
“In that cowardly attack, the state’s signage and advertisement agency was quick to come to the defense of the governor when it claimed that the advertising agent in charge of the billboards failed to remit to the agency.
“We are still waiting for the excuse they will come out to justify their latest round of destruction that was carried out on members and campaign materials in Ore, headquarters of Odigbo local government.
“The actions of the governor and his thugs have continued to drag the name of our great party in the mud in the state, while other political parties in the state stand and mock the follies going on in the Ondo APC.”
Ajiboye said ‘like in our earlier calls, we urge leaders of the APC in Ondo state and at the national level to call Governor Aiyedatiwa to order before he destroys the party in the state.
“It is regrettable that despite our calls to the police and the DSS to ensure the safety of supporters of other aspirants and their properties across the state, the one-sided attacks and destructions have continued.
“We are, therefore, using this latest opportunity to call on the commissioner of police and the director of the State Security Service in Ondo state to be proactive and put measures in place to forestall any further attacks on the people by thugs working for Governor Aiyedatiwa.
“As good citizens of this wonderful state, we want to advise Governor Aiyedatiwa to use all the energies he dispenses trying to bring down other aspirants to provide verifiable answers to the alleged certificate forgery case dogging his footsteps.
“It is high time our dear governor stopped this ugly game of shame and a stop the desperate acts of trying to intimidate other aspirants.”
But the Director of Aiyedatiwa’s campaign group, Fasua, described the claim by WACO as an attempt to discredit the governor and to attract attention.
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Fasua said, “There are at least six governorship aspirants from the Southern senatorial district, apart from Wale Akinterinwa.
“How come Akinterinwa’s lackeys, either as directed or deliberately, see Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa as a muted punching bag?
“For the umpteenth time in their clueless attempts to disparage the irresistible popularity of the governor, they have been cooking up steaming-hot allegations that they are unable to substantiate.
“The fact of the matter remains that we require evidence to prove that their fathomed thugs who are better conjectured as goblins or gnomes, are from Aiyedatiwa.
“They are as unserious as their allegation. Any thug spotted destroying their billboard should be reported to the Police, rather than distract a hardworking governor.”
