The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation, SSACO, has accused supporters of Bimbo Adekanmbi, governorship candidate of the Allied People’s Movement, APM, of vandalising billboards of the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli.
Located in strategic areas of Ibadan, the billboards were allegedly destroyed in what SSACO described as a deliberate attempt to stifle APC’s campaign.
Conveying this in a statement , SSACO Director of Media and Publicity, Bisi Oladele, said billboards of Senator Alli and his running mate, Hon. Soji Adedeji, were vandalised in Mokola, Sango, Monatan-Olodo Road, Odo-Ona and Toll Gate-Iwo Road section of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The organisation said the incident came barely a week after Alli’s wife and two other APC candidates were allegedly attacked in Ibadan.
“The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation is raising the alarm over vandalisation of our candidates’ billboards in many parts of Ibadan by supporters of Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi,” the statement read.
“This sad development, once again, confirms the fear within the circle of Governor Seyi Makinde and his stooge – Adekanmbi – of the impending loss they’ll face in the forthcoming election.
“Despite the reality of their potential rejection by the good people of Oyo State in the 2027 elections, there is absolutely no justification for Adekanmbi’s supporters to attack our candidates or vandalise APC candidates’ billboards. It is barbaric and completely unacceptable,” Oladele said.
He said Nigerian democracy had gone beyond acts of political vandalism, warning APM supporters to desist from stoking tension in the state.
“Oyo State is a peaceful state. Governor Seyi Makinde and Hon. Adekanmbi should immediately call their goons to order. Oyo State does not deserve violence from them,” he added.
SSACO called on the Commissioner of Police and heads of other security agencies to fish out perpetrators and ensure they face the law, stressing that democracy guarantees every candidate freedom to campaign.
The organisation said the latest incident vindicates its earlier warning about APM’s alleged destructive tendencies.
“Now that they have shown that they are a bunch of reckless and lawless individuals, with no regard whatsoever for the law, we call on security agencies to immediately swing into action to prevent a recurrence of these vandalisms, which is a sad reminder of the dark days of brigandage,” the statement said.
It urged APC members and supporters to remain calm and resist provocation.
