Governor Olusegun Mimiko yesterday in Owo kicked off his re-election campaign with a pledge to work with renewed vigour towards a better Ondo State.Mimiko’s campaign group said five armed thugs allegedly imported into Owo by the ACN to disrupt the kick off had been arrested by men of the State Police Command.
But in a swift reaction, the Akeredolu Campaign Organisation denied the allegation, saying it was the LP that was orchestrated violence in Owo. “You will recall that we have earlier raised an alarm that the Labour Party has moved thugs and rented crowd to Owo for his flag off rally,” the ACN said.
According to Mimiko, Ondo State will never worship on the altar of any foreign god adding that one million godfathers and their district officers would meet their match on October 20, when the people shall once again speak loudly with their votes as they did in 2007.
While appreciating the people, Mimiko thanked them for their support in the last three and a-half-years and promised to continue to work or rapid development of the state.
His words: “In 2007, we promised to work for you; we promised that your concern shall be our concern; that in all seasons, we will work for you; that we shall unleash our incredible creative ingenuity to develop the state. In the last three and a half years, there are empirical facts on the ground that we have delivered on our promises and Ondo State is working again and we are happier. We have in place over 350 projects in all our rural communities dictated by our people themselves.
“Today, we are here again to solicit for your votes, we want you to vote for us and I sincerely assure you that we shall continue to work for you with renewed vigour. We have been with you; we know your concerns and aspirations and we have been meeting. We know that you want your children to have quality education without you selling your properties. We will continue to work to make Ondo State a real place of pride in Nigeria; we will continue to develop Agriculture, build more roads, build more mega schools for our children, markets for our women, more hospitals, our cities shall be the best cities in Nigeria.”
While dismissing the allegation of violence, ACN said: ”We have it on good record that one Olaitan (aka White), a known member of Labour Party has been arrested with a pistol in the house of the Ose local Government caretaker Chairman Prince Afolabi Adedayo yesterday. He has since been transferred to the State Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) office in Akure.
“The LP is making frantic effort to secure the release of this criminal at all cost. This is a confirmation to our earlier claim that the government is desperate and has resulted to the use of thugs to shore up its dwindling fortune.
“We are appalled to hear that the Mimiko group has been spreading false reports when it is their thugs who have even gone to destroy the home of the father of the ACN flagbearer at Owo, after they have destroyed the party secretariat in Owo. But they have hurriedly gone to the press with false claims in order to mislead the people and cover their atrocious act.”
Owo was said to be embroiled in violence on Wednesday evening as armed thugs, shooting sporadically in the air, went round damaging sound systems, podium, inflatable billboards, LP flags,
erected at the Methodist Primary School venue of the rally. Several people were also said to have been injured.
No comments:
Post a Comment