The Olusegun Mimiko Campaign Organisation, on Sunday, blew the whistle on what it alleged as a grand plan by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to import political mercenaries into Ondo State, ahead of the October 20 gubernatorial election to rig the election.

According to the organisation, the ACN held a meeting recently in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, at the instance of its national chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, who also presided over that same meeting.

Sources privy to the meeting, according to a release issued by its Director of Publicity and Media Relations, Mr Kolawole Olabisi, informed that the ACN chairman, in company of some of the party officials, including Rotimi Agbede, the publicity secretary of the party in Ondo State, assembled in a hotel owned by an ACN senator in the state to perfect the act.

Olabisi alleged that the meeting, the sole agenda of which he said was the capturing of Ondo State at all cost, dwelled extensively on what was described as “ looking for the best fool-proof and perfect formula to push Mimiko out of office despite his immense popularity.”

It added that the Ekiti State Chief of Staff, Yemi Adaramodu, a chief from Okitipupa area of Ondo State, as well as some members of the party from the riverside area were present at the meeting.

“We want to alert the whole world of the devilish act of the ACN which has perfected plans to further perpetrate its violent bent in Ondo State since they came like a rapacious army of occupation that they are.

“At the clandestine meeting, held in the hotel of a serving senator in Ado Ekiti, it was concluded that mercenaries would be brought in from far away Adamawa State to execute the ‘formula’, which details the meeting agreed, would be released at another meeting scheduled for the Osun State capital, Osogbo, before the end of August.

“According to the agreement at the meeting, all arrangements must be concluded regarding the Adamawa ‘imports’ because they must be on ground for the campaign kick-off of the ACN, tentatively scheduled for the end of August in Akure.

“The idea of the mercenaries being part of the kick-off, a member of the Ado Ekiti meeting revealed, was to ensure that the personnel used the opportunity of the gathering to enter the state and begin a secret familiarisation with the environment, ahead of the election day when they are expected to strike.

“It was generally agreed upon at the meeting that the party will not be able to make any meaningful impact at the polls because of the popularity of Governor Mimiko, which was described as overwhelming hence, the Adamawa mercenary option,” the Mimiko campaign organisation alleged.

The organisation further gave details of decision made at the meeting, which it said it got from a source privy to the meeting, saying the Adamawa mercenaries as mentioned in the meeting were already used to the ACN’s mode of operation and are not likely to be traced to the party should something go wrong while executing their plans.

The Adamawa gang is also said to primarily be working for a presidential candidate from the state who worked in tandem with the ACN leadership.

Meanwhile, the Director of Publicity of the ACN, Rotimi Agbede, in his reaction, debunked the allegation, saying that the party had no plan to rig the election.

He said the party had a good product in its candidate, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu SAN and had no cause to panic.

He added that it was the LP that had been engaging in activities that could derail the electoral process, alleging that it had been engaging in buying of voter cards.

Agbede said: “All we are trying to do is to mobilise the support of the people of the state and this has been making the LP jittery, the ACN is now becoming popular and this is having impact in the state.”

Comments (5)

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DR. MIMIKO IS THE PLANNING EVIL
written by opeomoriwo, August 20, 2012

Mimiko is the sitting governor, he's the only one that can be planning rigging. Why is this news still ascribed popularity to Rahmoni when his aides are deserting him and even the core people that formed Labor Party in Ondo State in 2006 are nowhere to be found in Iroko camp? Anyway, such jungle journalism is the hallmark of Tribune, the legacy of reverend Awo but which has lately became the tool in the hands of conservative in Nigeria

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written by Ajadimo, August 20, 2012

This is what happened when an Unpopular candidate of Akeredolu type is forced on the party. Akande, is turning to a shame of a politician these days, with the way he is playing dirty Politics with Tinubu to the detriment of Yoruba nation.

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ACN Planned to import voters from Adamawa
written by Omoba, August 20, 2012

This could only make sense to people at the Tribune newspapers. Tell me how could it be done for a party to import people from far away Adamawa to Ondo state for the purpose of rigging for them!logically,it is difficult, security wise, it is too risky and dangerous.I do not beleive that ACN could be that desperate and naive,Akeredolu knows better. Only Tribune newspapers could buy and even publish such rubbish just because ACN is involve,what a shame.
Omoba

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written by Timmmmi45, August 20, 2012

THE ACN SHOULD KNOW THAT IS NOT EASY TO UPROOT IROKO, THE GOVERNOR IS WORKING AND TURNING THINGS ARROUND IN ONDO STATE. IROKO MAN DESERVE SECOND TERM IN OFFICE

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written by Olu Iseabaje, August 20, 2012

Am sure ACN is intelligent enough to know this is a lost battle. Ondo is not where you ram a candidate through the throats of electorates. Put away Fasola who else is performing among the ACN governors? Please don't mention Oshiomole; that guy is his own man; just using the party as a vehicle. With the over bearing influence of Tinubu, it would be impossible for any of the lackey governors to make meaningful impacts. Lagos and Edo are moving not because of Asiwaju but in spite of him. Ondo people know and they would not want to elect a puppet govenor that would owe his ascendancy to his Asiwaju. That alone has sealed Akeredolus chances in the State and I know by now they all know.

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