The Ondo State chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has asked security agents to be proactive in combating criminal activities ahead of the governorship election in the state. The party made the call following protests over the release of the final list of governorship candidates for the November 26 governorship election.
Its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Remi Olayiwola, in a statement said the protests that trailed the removal of Mr. Eyitayo Jegede's name and its replacement with Barr. Jimoh Ibrahim as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has to do with the flag bearer of only one out of the 28 participating political parties in the election.
The SDP said that since the PDP could not put its house in order by ensuring a credible primary, other participating political parties and innocent citizens of the state should not be made to bear the brunt of the internal crisis within the party.
The party wondered why anyone would embark on protests over an intraparty crisis, adding that security agencies need to be more prompt in dealing with hoodlums trying to foment trouble in the state. "The other day, it was the APC disturbing the people of the state, today, it is the PDP.
These are political parties in government at various levels in the country. So, if there's any violence during the forthcoming governorship election, the two parties must be held responsible," SDP said. It advised the people of the state, especially parents, to caution their children against being used by desperate politicians to cause chaos in the state, recalling that the negative effects of the 1983 crisis is yet to abate on the socioeconomic development of the state.
