The Lagos State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has decried alleged destruction of party’s campaign banners and posters by supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
PDP Chairman, Adedeji Doherty, raised this concern in a statement in Lagos on Wednesday ahead of the July 24 Local Government Election in the state.
Doherty urged Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State to pay attention to the development in order to prevent violence.
“The attention of the Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Lagos State Chapter, Engr Adedeji Doherty and all members of the Executive Committee has been drawn to very disturbing acts of destruction of banners, posters and other materials necessitated for advertising aspirants for the forthcoming council elections in the state.
“Reports reaching the office of the State Chairman reveals that these unwanton destructions are happening all round the nooks and crannies of the state.
“It was also reported that the perpetrators of the acts are miscreants, purportedly sponsored by persons within the ranks of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC),” he said.
Doherty called on Sanwo-Olu, the APC State Chairman, Alhaji Babatunde Balogun, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, the Department of State Security (DSS) and other security agencies to urgently look into this ugly trend.
He said that Lagos State is not a one-party state and there should be a level-playing ground for all and sundry in the forthcoming poll.
According to him, it is an irony to have banners and posters of aspirants of the APC up and standing, while those of aspirants of the opposition are either removed, defaced, damaged or destroyed.
Doherty, who urged PDP supporters to be peaceful even in the face of provocations, called on all concerned persons and security agencies to urgently nip these acts in the bud before law and order breaks down.
Our Correspondent reports that the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) has rolled out guidelines and timetable to conduct elections into the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas.
Many political parties, especially the ruling APC and the main opposition PDP, are getting set for the primaries to choose their chairmanship and councillorship flag bearers on Friday and Saturday.