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The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Oyo State has said Governor Seyi Makinde should be held responsible if anything happens to its governorship candidate, Sen. Teslim Folarin.
The party was reacting to a viral video showing the Chairman of Oyo State Park Management System (PMS) Disciplinary Committee , Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi, aka Auxiliary, threatening to kill the APC governorship candidate in the state.
In a statement signed by its statr secretary, Alhaji Tajudeen Olanite Oyo APC said it is concerned about Folarin’s safety based on the vicious antecedent of Auxiliary which have resulted in the loss of many lives and property in recent years.
The party pointed out that the clash at Iwo road interchange which led to the death of a medical student of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) and countless intending travellers, the bloody attack on innocent telephone sellers at Iwo road that claimed the life of one of the phone sellers in the area, and the recent attack on residents of Ali-Iwo area that killed two people are handiwork of Auxiliary.
Oyo APC urged the Police and the DSS to beef up security around its candidate,adding that previous threats by Auxiliary were actualised by vandalism, attacks, intimidations, and purported killing and maiming of his targets.
“Our attention has been drawn to a video currently in circulation that shows the Chairman of the Oyo State Park Management System (PMS), Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi, aka Auxiliary, threatening the APC governorship candidate in the state, Senator Teslim Folarin.
“Owing to Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi’s violent tendencies, we have no choice but to call on the state security agencies, particularly the Oyo State Command of the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) to expedite investigation on Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi’s threat to Senator Teslim Folarin’s life before it is too late.
“There is no doubt that Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi views our party and its governorship candidate as the stumbling block to his principal, Engr Seyi Makinde’s second term bid, and he seems to have decided to eliminate certain political bigwigs in our party in order to pave the way for his Principal’s emergence.
“The campaign for the 2023 general elections will begin soon, and we don’t want our party’s governorship candidate to be targeted or involved in any kind of attack. So, the security agencies should step up to the plate and investigate this blatant threat to life.
“We are intimating the general public to hold Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi Auxiliary and his principal, Governor Seyi Makinde accountable if anything untoward happens to our party’s governorship candidate or any of his close allies before, during or after the general elections,” the party said.
Meanwhile, Oyo Integrity Goup (OIG) has urged the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to immidiately effect the arrest of Auxiliary within 72hrs.
The group said Auxiliary’s threat should not be taking as a mere threat, urging Department of State Services (DSS) and other relevant security agencies to investigate the matter before it is too late.
A statement signed by its Convener, Comrade Sunday Bamidele, condemned auxiliary’s violent attitude.
“Auxiliary and PDP has been known for their thuggery and hooliganism over the years, their antecedent is well known to the public.
“As a peace loving Nigerians, we want to call the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians to the threat.”