Political violence broke out in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State at the weekend where scores of vehicles and a filling station, among other properties worth millions of naira were vandalized by suspected hoodlums.
The violence reportedly broke out when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took its campaign to the local government.
The campaign was, however, marred by sporadic gunshots as properties worth millions of naira were damaged just as campaign billboards of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were vandalized.
State Chairman of the APC, Hon. Ishola Balogun-Fulani and the Ekiti Council Chairman, Mr. Fatigun Akintoba who separately addressed press conferences yesterday claimed that the PDP thugs were responsible for the attacks.
But the PDP Chairman, Chief Iyiola Oyedepo in a chat with Daily Trust denied knowledge of the attacks.
The APC Chairman stated that the people of Kwara State are worried and disturbed about the violent activities with which the PDP has been conducting its campaign rallies in Kwara State.
“Within any 24hours duration, if APC members are not attacked, billboards sponsored by the APC and its candidates will be destroyed”, he said.
The Chairman also alleged that the party has it on good authority that “the PDP has printed thousands of APC branded T-shirts which have been distributed to PDP thugs across the state especially within Ilorin metropolis.
“The PDP thugs have been mobilised to cause widespread violence including but not limited to destruction of vehicles. Starting from Monday, 23rd of March, 2015, the PDP intends to begin these criminal activities with a failed bid to hang it on our party”, he said.
The Chairman called on the police to arrest the suspected thugs responsible for the attack in Ekiti where he said a filling station belonging to an APC chieftain was vandalized.
Fatigun, who spoke on behalf of APC stakeholders in the local government, said the suspected hoodlums descended on the people due to the cold reception received by the PDP governorship candidate, Senator Simeon Ajibola.
“They unleashed mayhem on our community, they destroyed APC bill boards mounted at the junction of Obbo-Aiyegunle, they vandalised several vehicles and caused untold hardship on our people”, he said. The Council Chairman, who was joined by Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Christopher Ayeni, Commissioner for Planning, Mr. Bode Ogunleye, Hon. Ebun Owolabi, among others warned that the people cannot be intimidated by bomb and machetes, saying the people of Ekiti LG and the state have decided to vote for APC.
On his part, Ayeni urged the security agencies not to “play the game of Ekiti state in Ekiti Local Government”.
