Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada 
The Eyitayo Jegede Campaign Organisation, EJCO, raised the alarm over the alleged destruction of campaign posters of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, in Owo, by suspected political thugs.
The EJCO, in a statement by its Head, Media Research, Mr. Samuel Fasua, said reports reaching it confirmed that those perpetrating the act were political thugs of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Fasua said: “In the last one week, political thugs loyal to the APC have been gamboling around the streets of Owo, the governor’s paternal native home, tearing Jegede’s posters and causing mayhem within neighbourhoods.
“The apparent aim of the poster-tearing thugs is to impose on the people’s psyche, the impression that Akeredolu is from Owo and as such, should not be challenged there.
“However myopic that mentality is, it is equally a fact of history that Jegede too is from Owo, as his mother hails from Ipele, a prominent Owo community.
“As Akeredolu is an Owo indigene by ancestry, so is Jegede.
“The truth is that, Jegede enjoys widespread acceptance among Owo people, against the expectation of the other candidate, whose only claim to public acceptance in Owo-for the past three and half years, is that he is a native of Owo.
“As for Jegede, he has promised the good people of Owo and other communities in Ondo State, the establishment of industries in cluster formation, across the state, to absorb many jobless youths.
“While the PDP is planning to provide jobs for these youths, the other party that is holding on to power is delighted in retaining them as political thugs and poster-tearing urchins,”
We don’t harbour thugs — APC
Contacted, the state chairman of the APC, Ade Adetimehin, absolved his party members of such a debasing attitude.
Adetimehin said: “It cannot be true. We have tutored our members not to be violent or engage in thuggery or violence.
“Why should our members even bother about the PDP or their posters? The party is not in this race. They are just going to participate in the election.
“We are concerned about the election and they should stop all these childish and unfounded allegations.”
He, however, called on security agencies in the state to investigate the allegation and unearth those behind the said destruction.
