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Polls violence: CP reads riot act

…Parties sign peace accord

…Thugs to be prosecuted

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By Michael Ofulue

Eighteen political parties participating in the October 10 gubernatorial election in Ondo State yesterday signed a peace accord and promised to give peace a chance before, during and after the election.
The acord was held at the state police headquarters, Igbatoro road, Akure, and at the instance of the state Commissioner of police, Bolaji Salami.
The meeting was sequel to last Wednesday’s violence at Oba Akoko between suspected political thugs.
Salami warned leadership of the political parties to caution their supporters against use of weapons during campaign rallies just as he promised to prosecute anybody caught in act of thuggery.
The police boss who lamented the use of unauthorized guns, matchets and other dangerous weapons during campaign hinted that henceforth the police will go after law breakers and ensure they face the full weight of the law.
Salami who said the police has carefully arranged the time table for each political parties to carry out their campaign without recourse to violence, urged them to preach peace to their supporters .
He regretted the incident that took place at Oba Akoko during which vehicles and property were destroyed and said that police will not fold its arms to watch anybody irrespective of party to turn the state into a war zone.
His words: “I will not sit here and watch people killing themselves. The police will deal ruthlessly with anybody caught with unauthorized guns in any campaign venue. So leaders of various political parties should talk to your people because you are brothers,” he said.
Salami, however promised to deploy adequate man power and logistics to venues of each pilot party campaign across the 18 councils of the state to avoid repeat of Oba Akoko incident.
He appealed to all to maintain the time table given to them to avoid clash between parties.
Speaking with reporters, Mr Ade Adetimehin, the state Chairman of All Progressives Party, APC, said they have been going about their campaign peacefully and promised to remain same.
He said that APC will abide with all the directives of the police, saying what happened in Oba Akoko would have been avoided if not because a of a certain political party that ambushed the APC campaign train .
The APC boss commended the police for their quick intervention that brought the situation under control.
The Chairman, Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, Mr Joseph Akinlaja advised police to be alive to their responsibility, saying this was not the first time of having such a peace meeting which he said had not been yeilding the desired result.
Akinlaja advised all political gladiators to tow the line of peace so as to have a credible free and fair election come October 10.
The publicity secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr Kennedy Perete urged the political parties not to see the election as a do or die affair, saying the state belongs to all and should not be turned into a war zone.
He told the police boss to always monitor the political parties campaigns to avoid possible breakdown of law and order.

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