The Deputy Governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Mr. Festus Akingbaso, has raised concerns over the reported presence of thugs in Idanre Local Government Area ahead of today’s governorship election.
Akingbaso, who is also a member of the House of Representatives, voiced his concerns after casting his vote at Polling Unit 005, Oke Imikan, in the Idanre LGA.
While he acknowledged the positive voter turnout and the current security arrangements, Akingbaso expressed his alarm over reports of thugs allegedly being deployed in the area.
“So far, the turnout of voters has been encouraging, and the security situation appears stable. I have no complaints about INEC’s handling of the process thus far,” he said.
However, he urged voters to remain vigilant, advising them to stay at their polling stations after casting their votes until the results were officially declared.
“If everything goes as planned, my party will emerge victorious,” Akingbaso added.
On the issue of thuggery, the PDP deputy candidate claimed that several villages in Idanre, including Ofosun, Omifunfun, and Allah, were reportedly overrun by suspected thugs believed to be working on behalf of the APC.
He singled out Igbepo, another area in Idanre LGA, as a hotspot for thug activity.
“There have been reports that thugs have infiltrated many of the villages, and we received a disturbing report from Ofosun where thugs broke into the home of a party member to prevent him from voting. There are also concerns that there are deliberate plans to block voters in these villages from casting their ballots,” Akingbaso claimed.
He further alleged that the APC had brought in these suspected thugs since Friday and expressed frustration over the apparent inaction of the security agencies.
“I have reported the matter to both the DPO and the DSS, but so far, no significant action has been taken to address the situation,” he said.
