Senator Ademola Adeleke, governor of Osun State, has advised politicians to adopt nonviolent electioneering tactics as the country gears up for general elections later this month.
According to a statement by his spokesperson Mallam Olawale Rasheed, after the former governor Gboyega Oyetola returned to the state five days ago, violent activities, such as the vandalization of campaign signs and billboards, increased because Oyetola openly preached rebellion against the state government.
In a speech Friday night, Adeleke, who was reportedly speaking to a group of Osun state thought leaders, criticised the increasingly disruptive character of campaigns in some parts of the state, particularly the destruction of billboards and posters.
Ismail Omipidan, Oyetola’s media assistant, reacted by calling the accusation “wicked” and “more than prankish.” He also claimed that the government was just terrified by his principal’s return to the state after vacation.
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When Omipidan returned to Osun from his vacation on Monday, he challenged the State Government to name just one violent incident that had happened in the area of Oyetola since that day. He also added that the PDP and the current Governor’s propensity for violence is well known.
Adeleke urged lawmakers and their supporters to maintain peace, saying they should adopt a culture of peaceful campaigning free from violence and questionable behaviour.
He stated: “Election is about the people exercising their voting rights. As political leaders is to market our programmes and candidates, to convince voters to accept us. It is out of order to propagate and employ violence as an electioneering tool”.
“I particularly condemn the increasing vandalization of campaign posters and billboards ahead of the elections. I was a victim during the last governorship election. Politicians should know that the people are the ultimate decider of their leaders”.
“Those involved in this violent acts must stop forthwith. I’m also directing security agencies to arrest and prosecute anybody caught destroying candidates’ billboards and posters irrespective of party affiliations. We must restore sanity, law and order in our electoral process”, the Governor affirmed.
