News Investigators/ The Accord Party Campaign Council and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun have traded accusations over the vandalism of campaign billboards ahead of the Aug. 15 governorship election.
The Accord Party, under the Imole Campaign Council (TICC), accused APC of orchestrating the destruction of its campaign billboards, an allegation the APC has denied.
The spokesperson for the Imole Campaign Council, Pelumi Olajengbesi, said in a statement on Friday in Osogbo that campaign billboards of the party’s governorship candidate, Gov. Ademola Adeleke, were vandalised in several parts of the state, allegedly by APC supporters.
Mr Olajengbesi described the development as “dangerous and a threat to democratic processes”.
“TICC wishes to urgently draw the attention of the Inspector-General of Police, security agencies, and election observers to the growing pattern of politically motivated violence and coordinated vandalism across the state by desperate elements linked to APC.
“In the early hours of today, billboards belonging to the Imole Campaign and the Accord Party were vandalised and destroyed across several parts of the state.
“This is not ordinary politics. It is a direct threat to democratic engagement, political freedom and peaceful participation in the electoral process,” he said.
He, however, said Adeleke remained focused on governance, development and service delivery to the people of the state.
“No amount of intimidation or coordinated attacks can suppress the democratic will of the people,” he added.
Reacting in a statement, the Chairman of the APC Media and Publicity Committee for the governorship election, Oluremi Omowaiye, described the allegation as false and baseless.
Mr Omowaiye said, rather, “campaign billboards and promotional materials of the APC candidate, Mr Bola Oyebamiji, were being destroyed by members of the Accord Party”
“This latest falsehood—self-vandalising billboards and blaming our party—is another diversionary tactic by those feeding fat on the resources of the state.
“The people of Osun are not deceived by these tactics. They are eagerly awaiting Aug. 15 to democratically vote out this government.
“The relevant security authorities have been briefed, and we expect appropriate action without delay,” he said.
NAN
