Ondo ACN chairman alleges kidnap threat

The Chairman of the Ondo State Chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose, on Tuesday, raised the alarm of an alleged plan by some people suspected to be sympathetic to the Labour Party government in the state to kidnap her. Anifowose, who is the daughter of the late Second Republic Governor of the old Ondo State, Chief Adekunle Ajasin, raised the alarm at a press conference at the state party secretariat on Oyemekun Road, Akure. The ACN boss had claimed that a text message had alerted her about the development. She added that the text message was sent to her mobile telephone by “someone very close” to her, who allegedly attended the meeting. Anifowose further alleged that the planned kidnap was intended to take place before the National Assembly election. Part of the text message which she read at the news conference reads in part, “Ma, the state government is at the top gear to kidnap you (and) to give house arrest to Femi Adekanmbi and other persons in his house (sic), Alaba Ojomo and Eni as from 10 am tomorrow. “Youth corps members are to be bribed through their CLOs (Corpers Liason Officers) across the state. They involve Eni so that people will not suspect (the) state government (involvement). The meeting came to an end at 4.15am. “Refreshment of fried eggs, bread and yam, provided by Segun Osuma who spoke for the Mimiko government in Ondo State. Please get 10 or more mobile policemen for yourself when coming.” But the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Ranti Akerele, refuted the ACN allegations, saying that “the state government does not believe in violence” Akerele said, “The Ondo State government does not engage in violence. Those who are engaged in violence and intimidation have the fear they may be visited by what they do to others. “The Segun Osuma, who was said to have hosted the meeting, is a young poor boy who does not even have a house of his own. He lives in a rented apartment and he could not have hosted the meeting” Akerele also alleged that attempts by Adekanmbi to bribe Osuma with N4m and a Lexus jeep was frustrated by the former because of his loyalty to the LP and the Governor Segun Mimko’s-led government in the state. He wondered why the ACN which allegedly unleashed terror on innocent voters last Saturday with its army of thugs would now go round and accuse the LP of the crime it knew nothing about. “I advise the ACN to stop raising unnecessary alarm that could create tension in Ondo State. The state is very peaceful but the ACN is trying to create an impression that there is tension so that people will be afraid to vote against them come Saturday” Akerele added. However, Anifowose, who said she had written a petition to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Hafis Ringim, on the development, lamented that last Saturday botched polls was far from being credible, free, or fair. She alleged that series of attacks were carried out against the ACN members across the state and that one of them, Isaac Odilo, was murdered at Ute. She said the man was killed on his way to the polling centre. She said reports at her disposal indicated that money was freely shared to the electorates by the PDP and LP during last Saturday election while youth corps members were harassed and intimidated at Ese-Odo Local Government Areas by the PDP. The chairman also explained that the LP was planning to indict Adekanmbi and some of his associates by planting arms and ammunition around his residence and called on the state police commissioner to help bring to book those behind these crimes. Also, the Peoples Democratic Party in a statement by its Director of Publicity, Mr. Ayo Fadaka, on Tuesday, alleged that the LP had produced many police uniforms and have distributed same across the state for the use of thugs who will adorn them on Saturday. The party, therefore, said it was pertinent to inform the people to exercise their power of arrest on any character in police uniform that moves around in private vehicles during the election and hand them over to the police. The PDP commended the resolve of the security agencies to execute their brief excellently but noted that it was pertinent to state that it was imperative to enforce a total no movement across the State during the elections next Saturday. He said, “We want to make it absolutely clear that the rules of the election does not permit the movement of anybody during the elections, while we obeyed that directive, the Labour Party did not as its leaders and thugs were running around during the elections with the sole aim to compromise the electoral desires of the people, this act is absolutely condemnable. “We encourage the Police and the State Security Service to intensify intelligence gathering with a view to arresting those in procession of fake police uniforms across the State forthwith.” He added. By Sunday Aborisade, Akure Courtesy Of: Punch