By Banji Ayoola
The All Progressives Congress, APC, has described as baseless allegation by candidate of the Peoples Demcratic Party, PDP, in the last governorship election in Ondo State, Mr Eyitayo Jegede,SAN, that his life is being threatened.
In a statement entitled “Eyitayo Jegede’s Purported Threat To Life A Ploy To Cause Political Upheaval In The State – Ondo APC”, which was signed by its Director, Media and Publicity, Mr Steve Otaloro, it said the allegation “targeted, solely, to steer up crisis in the polity” was uncalled for.
It said: “Our attention has been drawn to a press statement issued by Mr Eyitayo Jegede on an allegation of threat to his life regarding his attempt to lodge his petition with the electoral tribunal in respect of the last gubernatorial election in Ondo State.
“This spurious claim of threat to the life of Mr Jegede is an unfortunate one that is capable of heating up the polity and causing unnecessary panick in the state.
“The vague press statement issued by him did not provide much back up information as to why there should be a threat to his life because he filed his petition at the tribunal in respect of the recently concluded governorship election in Ondo State.
“As a political party which participated in that same election and won, we wouldn’t have shown any concern for this type of rabble-rousing statement coming from sore losers like Jegede who are dying to gain cheap popularity and by that fan the ember of disaffection in the society. We respond because his issued statement, surreptitiously, alluded to our party.
“It is most pathetic that this kind of flimsy allegation is coming at a time our state has just passed through a phase of political upheaval as a result of the EndSARS protest with its attendant violence and disruption across the state that was triggered by certain unsubstantiated allegations raised by some fake news peddlers.
“This allegation from Eyitayo’s camp is baseless and uncalled for. It was targeted, solely, to steer up crisis in the polity, especially, in Akure the home town of Mr Jegede.
“Eyitayo Jedege who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and who is much versed in the dictates of our laws regarding threat to one’s life should have reported the threat to his life to the police rather than the issuance of press statement. It was an indication that he is only acting out a predetermined script or he has not taken the purported threat to his life seriously.
“Jegede should also have faith in our court being the reason he has gone there in the first place. By trying to steer up sentiment will not sway decision in his favour without hard evidence which they had not. We all know the last governorship election in Ondo State was conducted under the most peaceful atmosphere and does not warrant any threat to the life of any candidate after the election.
“The state is moving on and the people have moved past the last election. So, he should tag along while awaiting the verdict of the tribunal rather than suffering the people in the state unto unnecessary panics with baseless allegations and unsubstantiated claims.”
Eyitayo Jegede Campaign Organisation,EJCO, had in a statement on Sunday signed by Mr Gbenga Akinmoyo alleged that: “Information at the disposal of Eyitayo Jegede Campaign Organisation is that there is security threat to the candidate of the PDP in the election of 10th October 2020, especially in relation to the petition which he lodged against the APC at the election tribunal.
“Sources confirmed that various meetings have been held at very high quarters by those who feel threatened by the step taken by the candidate.
“We use this opportunity to notify the security agencies of this threat and/or likely breach of security around our candidate, we believe the security agencies will rise up to the occasion and take the threat seriously.”
The allegation came five weeks after the October 10 governorship election in Ondo State, won by the APC candidate, Akeredolu according to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, results of which are being challenged by Jegede at the tribunal.
The organisation said some people were threatened by Jegede’s petition at the tribunal, hence, the plan to get rid of him.
