Members of GNI campiagn organisation during the press conference

Adejoke Adeleye, Abeokuta

Gboyega Nasir Isiaka Campaign Organization (GNICO) has called for a peaceful contest in the 2019 general elections.

The Director General of the campaign organization, Engr Anthony Ojeshina make this call during a press conference at the GNICO office, Quarry Abeokuta.

“We are using this medium to call the attention of Ogun State citizens, security agencies, the media and good spirited Nigerians to the worsening state of security and general atmosphere of uncertainty currently pervasive in Ogun State, as we approach the general elections in February and March 2019.

“Every society have its share of antisocial elements that habour negative vices and which security agencies have to routinely deal with, we are constrainted to observe with trepidation, the deliberate and orchestrated plan to throw Ogun state into a state of security emergency before and during the elections, making peaceful campaigns either unattained or altogether make elections in Ogun State impossible. “

While noting that GNICO is not raising false alarm or crying wolf where there is none, but with concrete and geneniun evidence, Anthony said that ADC party had since 1st December been on the road campaigning and interfacing with the electorate within the purview of what is practicable under the electoral law and INEC guidelines.

“We have unimpeachable information and tested facts to the fact that there are premeditated plans to subvert the electoral process via provocation and violence, we have also noticed and recorded sequence of events since 1st December that serve as pointers to our assumptions.

He also claimed that state authorities, through All Progressive Congress (APC) and its younger sister Allied Progressive Movement (APM) has been hostile to the campaign team by destroying its governorship candidate display boards in Abeokuta Metropolis.

“The first of its hostility was on the 1st of December when the governorship candidate unveil is manifesto when officials of the state Signage and Advertisement Agencies attacked our advert materials (billboards) which were placed at strategies points of Abeokuta, defacing them and carting it away where possible and confrontation with the rampaging officials by Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka before temporary order was restored.

“The second hostility was on 5th of December when our campaign convoy was brutally attacked at Obese, in Yewa North Local government area by suspected agents of APC and APM. In the attack, one of our supporters sustained gunshot wounds and is currently struggling to recover at the hospital.

“The third discomforting incident occurred on 8th of December during the last day of our campaign tour to Abeokuta North local government when some assailant stormed the venue and cut down a young and vibrant member of our party, ostensibly to embarrass us and create fear in the mind of our supporters.”

In addition, Engr Anthony claimed that some hoodlums on branded apperels (T-shirts and car stickers) of the ruling party APC and APM  with police patrol van accosted the hoodlums while throwing their boards into the gutter and defacing.

“We must state also that these nefarious and anti-social act have been reported to the police for commensurate action.”

He also noted the police has called on political parties to submit their campaign timetable in order to avoid two political parties clashing in the same area which was done.

But he noted that APM still fixed their campaign to clash with that of ADC and that State’s Inter-party Advisory Council is not saying anything about it.

Meanwhile, Engr Ojeshina noted that the relationship between the campaign team and the Ogun state signage and advertisement agency are now cordial.