APC, Accord trade blame over Osun billboard vandalisation
Accusations of Vandalism Erupt Between Osun State APC and Accord Party
OSOGBO, Nigeria — The political climate in Osun State has intensified as the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Accord Party exchanged accusations regarding the vandalism of campaign billboards.
Pastor Victor Akande, chairman of the Accord Party, claimed in a statement on Friday that members of the Osun APC were responsible for the widespread destruction of billboards promoting their candidates. He characterized these incidents as deliberate acts of vandalism carried out by individuals affiliated with the APC.
“Osun APC cannot run away from its shadows or its crimes. Denial from the APC is an afterthought,” Akande stated, emphasizing the apparent nature of the vandalism. He reported that the destruction affected numerous towns, including Osogbo, Ede, Ila, Ilesa, and Ile-Ife, leading to significant financial losses for the Accord Party.
“The destruction of billboards was perpetrated across major towns in Osun State. It was a pre-planned act that resulted in losses amounting to millions of naira,” Akande added. He noted that the Accord Party has begun legal proceedings regarding the matter and called for law enforcement to take decisive action.
In response, the Osun APC Governorship Campaign Council dismissed these allegations as unfounded and politically motivated. Engr. Oluremi Omowaiye, head of media and publicity for the campaign council, characterized the claims as a desperate attempt to defame the APC.
“Our statement is clear: this allegation is false, baseless, and serves as a distraction,” the statement read. The Osun APC also claimed that its own campaign materials, particularly those of governorship candidate Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, had been targeted by political thugs allegedly linked to the state government and the Accord Party.
“The campaign billboards and promotional materials of our candidate have suffered relentless destruction,” the APC asserted. It further suggested that the allegations were an attempt to divert attention from ongoing scrutiny of officials within the state administration.
The Osun APC stated that it had informed security agencies about the situation and expressed confidence that appropriate measures would be taken to address the competing claims.
