Ondo 2016: Hoodlums attack Ibrahim’s campaign office •We have no hand in the attack —Jegede campaign group

The Ali-modu Sheriff-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, on Sunday, said hoodlums suspected to be members of the Ahmed Markarfi-led faction of the party invaded, attacked and destroyed the campaign office of its candidate, Mr Jimoh Ibrahim.

Speaking on the attack, the Director of Publicity of Jimoh Ibrahim Campaign, Sola Akinuli, said the suspected hoodlums invaded the party’s secretariat along Oyemekun Road, Akure, on Saturday night.

Akinuli, who condemned the attack, described it as unfortunate, saying the hoodlums destroyed the party’s flag and the country’s flag at the secretariat.

He explained that a big banner bearing the picture of the factional candidate and messages of hope to the people of the state was also pulled off the wall of the building.

Also speaking on the development, the Publicity Director of the faction, Yemi Akinyomide, said “some gunmen allegedly stormed the building at about 8:30 pm in a Toyota Bus branded with Eyitayo Jegede posters, as they went on rampage and destroyed and vandalised the newly installed PDP flags, of the party.”

Akintomide described the act as barbaric, destructive and a very dangerous way of playing politics.

“We’re aware of the evil plans of the other faction of the PDP in the state as we go into the campaign proper; but we at the Prince Biyi Poroye-led PDP in the state have been preaching peace and non-violence, leaving the court to do justice to the cases before it, while we continue politicking and preparing for the election.”

However, the coordinator of Eyitayo Volunteer Group, Olumide Ogunkua, who also condemned the attack, described the allegation against Eyitayo Jegede campaign group as false and figment of the faction’s imagination.

Ogunkua said that Eyitayo’s group will not benefit from destroying and vandalising Ibrahim’s campaign office, saying, “What would we gain from destroying and vandalising  a member of our party?  We cannot take arms against any member of our party or opposition. Politics is not a do-or-die affair to us.”

He said all the campaign vehicles of the Eyitayo Campaign group were neatly packed at the campaign headquarters on Saturday while his principal was busy soliciting and canvassing for votes from the people of the state towards the November governorship election.