The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Senatorial
candidate for Ondo North Senatorial District of, Olu Agunloye yesterday
accused the state government of sponsoring hoodlums to deface his
billboards in the area.
He lamented that most of the billboards he
erected in Akoko land had been removed by Labour Party (LP) supporters
while in some cases, his posters were removed and replaced with other
posters carrying Labour Party logo.
Addressing a news conference in Akure, Mr
Agunloye, former Minister of Power Steel said, “The Labour Party is
doing everything to destroy candidates of the Action Congress of
Nigeria in the Northern Senatorial District. They have destroyed all my
billboards. For example, my billboards were removed totally from Oka.
“It is not funny, they make posters for me and
removed the one I originally pasted and put Labour Party logos to
confuse the electorate. I know very sure that their plans will not come
to reality. The people of Akokoland are solidly behind me,” he said.
He also accused the state government of ordering
about 43 traditional rulers and local chiefs in Akokoland to discourage
their subjects from voting him in Saturday’s rescheduled National
Assembly election.
Mr Agunloye who described the action of the state
government as embarrassing and unfortunate, wondered why the state
government was compelling the traditional rulers to support the LP.
Traditional rulers
He noted that the state government recently held
series of meeting with the traditional rulers where they warned them
not to support his candidature.
“I am particularly disturbed by the way the
Mimiko-led government is threatening monarchs to support their
candidates at all cost. This is highly embarrassing and disturbing.
“I am wondering why government will be forcing
the monarchs to support the Labour Party candidates. Monarchs like
every other human must be allowed to support any candidate of their
choice”, the former minister added.
Mr Agunloye was a member of the LP before he defected to the ACN. He left the LP after the party primaries did not favour him.
In his reaction, the LP Director of Publicity, Femi Okunjemeruwa described of Mr Agunloye’s allegation as baseless.
He said Mr Agunloye is only trying to discredit the party because he was not picked as the party’s flagbearer.
“Labour Party supporters are bunch of responsible people who do not
behave irrationally. Mr Agunloye knows himself that he is not popular
in Akokoland, that is why he is doing everything to attract peoples
sympathy.” He said.
