News Investigators/ A group, Democracy Integrity Network, has urged the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) governments to extend the travel ban slammed on election manipulators in the country to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and some of his government officials, as well as the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Mr. Ade Adetimehin, accusing them of using thugs to intimidate and harass voters and snatch ballot papers during Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State.
In a statement released in Akure, the state capital and signed by its coordinator, Dr. Akindolie Adejare Democracy Integrity Network made said it had become glaring that the Ondo State governor and his henchmen had no regard for life or basic decency.
The statement read: “Given the massive violence Akeredolu and his cronies unleashed on Ondo voters on Saturday, it is clear that he has become a threat to Nigeria’s democracy. We urge the international community should extend its ban to ban him and his cronies, as well as the APC chairman in Ondo State, Mr. Ade Adetimehin.
“Days before the election, Adetimehin had been boasting that his party would allow the PDP to campaign for votes but deploy thugs to manipulate the outcome on election day. He has kept his word: his party unleashed monumental violence on Ondo voters on Saturday.
“APC thugs invaded all the polling units in Idanre, Adetimehin’s local government of origin, and scared away voters with sophisticated weaponry.
” They abducted electoral officers, wounded members of the opposition with machetes and hijacked ballot boxes in polling units at Oliyewu, Jingbe, Alepupa,
Legbira, Elebisire, Erinjo, Agric, Ajebandele and adjacent polling units and during the entire period, there was no police or military patrol team in sight to salvage the situation.
“This orgy of violence was replicated in Owo, Akure, Okitipupa and many other areas in the state. Instructively, a number of persons were murdered in cold blood by APC thugs. This crime against humanity must be swiftly and severely punished.”
