The All Progressives Congress in Oyo state has claimed to have uncovered plans by Gov. Seyi Makinde and the People’s Democratic Party to hound and victimise notable members of the opposition parties in the state ahead of the forthcoming general elections with the use of fake security agents.
Oyo APC’s allegation came against the backdrop of the unabated vandalism of billboards, posters and other outdoor campaign facilities mostly belonging to candidates of the opposition parties as being reported in Ibadan-the state capital, Ogbomoso and other parts of the state.
In a statement issued at the weekend and made available to journalists in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC berated Gov. Makinde over what it called “a show of shame resulting from the failed attempt to surreptitiously enlist some senior media practitioners into his re-election campaign team but which backfired when the concerned individuals refused to be blackmailed and take a bold step to dissociate themselves from a failed government of the PDP.
“The rejection of offer to serve in the re-election campaign team of Gov. Makinde by some popular media practitioners is a pointer to the fact that the PDP administration has come to an inglorious end in the state. It was even shameful for the governor to invite people to a media parley only for his cunning lackeys to go to press with photographs taken after the meeting to establish a claim that the media gaffers had agreed to work for his (Makinde’s) second term bid.
“But the truth of the matter is that the failed ploy was not the only card on their table. As the popular opportunists around the governor were hatching the ploy to arm twist the media gaffers, some unscrupulous elements within the corridor of power were furtively perfecting plans to make life unbearable for many opposition party members and residents of the state who they would make victims of harassment, intimidation and violent attacks in the hands of well equipped fake security agents.
“We have it on good authority that Gov. Makinde has released a huge some to the executioners of certain devilish plans aimed at frustrating members of the opposition. They have, in turn, swung into action with the purchase of many utility vans/vehicles branded to reflect police colouration as they have also started recruiting able-bodied men to serve as fake policemen and NSCDC officers who would carry out indiscriminate arrest and maltreatment of perceived political opponents of the governor.
“In the same vein, handlers of the Park Management System of Makinde administration have been equipped to carry out some nefarious activities which include vandalism of campaign billboards, posters and vehicles belonging to opposition parties, harassment of anyone walking the street while adorning clothing and other materials with APC inscriptions. The PMS agents have also been asked to run after some members of the APC and implicate them as hoodlums trying to hijack management of major motor parks in Ibadan.
“Finally, it is on this note that we call on the Oyo State Police Command and the Department of State Security as well as other security agencies to look into these security hints with a view to keeping watch on the identified sponsors and their agents for the sake of all and sundry. We have provided useful hints at our disposal and the onus now lies on the relevant stakeholders to do the needful because the good people of the state (including non-PDP members) deserve to have their lives and properties secure at all time.” Oyo APC stated.
