APC planning to arrest our leaders –AD

The Ondo State chapter of the Alliance for Democracy has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of planning to arrest and jail leaders of the opposition party.
Addressing a news conference in Akure, on Tuesday, a chieftain of the AD, Mr. Tolu Babaleye, said the plan to arrest and jail some Ondo AD leaders was hatched after President Muhammadu Buhari visited Akure to campaign.
Specifically, Babaleye said that the Director General, Olusola Oke Campaign Organisation, Bola Ilori, and some leaders of the AD in various local government areas had been pencilled for arrest and would be detained till after the election coming up on Saturday.
The party also said that a serving governor in the South-West and a serving minister from the South-West were leading the clampdown against the AD leaders in Ondo State.
Babaleye said, “The plan to arrest and detain our leaders has been uncovered. The APC leaders, including a serving governor of the South-West and a serving minister, are the ones behind the plot.
“They’ve mobilised people, security and money to achieve the plot. They are desperate to crown their stooge as governor of Ondo State. The people of Ondo will not accept rigging, intimidation and harassment.”
The party called on Buhari to ensure that the election went free and fair, adding that the number of inconclusive elections in the country was worrisome.
“President Muhammadu Buhari must show that his administration is ready to live above board. Elections should not be a do-or-die affair. The coalition of evil forces against Oke shall not prosper.
“The APC leaders from Ogun and Ekiti states have stormed Ondo State to execute the plot to instal the APC candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu, by all means.
“They are afraid because they know that Oke remains the strongest of all the candidates in the race. The fear of Oke is the beginning of wisdom for them,” the AD said.
Meanwhile, the Action Alliance on Tuesday declared support for Oke.
The National Secretary of the AA, Mr. Kenneth Eze, who announced this, explained that the party had resolved to work with the AD candidate in the November 26 election.
He stated this at the grand finale of the campaign of the AA held at the Democracy Park in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Tuesday.
Eze said, “For the purpose of this election, the National Executive Committee of our party has resolved to merge our party’s structure with that of the AD candidate, Olusola Oke. Instead of voting for AA on the election day, our members will give Oke their votes and I am sure their votes will count to make Oke win the election.”
Corroborating Eze, the candidate of the AA for the election, Mr. Yinka Orokoto, said though he was still the candidate of the AA for the election, his supporters should vote for Oke.
“Don’t vote for the AA again, vote for the Alliance for Democracy in the election on Saturday,” Orokoto told his supporters, some whom were also at the campaign ground.
Addressing his supporters, the AD candidate, Oke, insisted that there would be no room for rigging in Saturday’s election, saying all the people of the state would stand by their votes.
He said he was the most popular and experienced candidate who would transform the fortunes of the state for the better.
He said, “They don’t want to campaign; we hear that they are planning to rig the election but that will not be possible for them. We are all watching them; we want to see how they want to do it.”

SOURCE.. PUNCH