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The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in Osun State have denied vandalizing the billboards of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Gboyega Oyetola in the governorship election coming up in the state on September 22.
The APC had accused supporters of the parties of vandalizing Oyetola’s billboards in two towns in the state.
The APC made the allegation in a statement by its Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Mr Kunle Oyatomi. The statement accused the SDP and ADP of massively vandalizing Oyetola’s billboards in Ile-Ife and Iwo.
Ile-Ife is the hometown of the SDP candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore while Iwo is the hometown of the ADP candidate, Moshood Adeoti.
But the two opposition parties have denied the allegation
In a statement by Omisore’s media office, the SDP insisted that its members and supporters across the state are civil, law abiding citizens and lovers of democracy who will never engage in act of vandalism or violence.
The SDP asked the public to ignore the allegation, describing it as an indication that the ruling party was out again with its “unending self fashioned mischievous claims aimed at portraying the opposition, especially the leading SDP and its governorship candidate, in bad light with the recent claim.”
The SDP also said if such ever happened, it might be a rejection of the APC by the people who it said are owed half salaries of several months.
“The fact remains that SDP as a political party, and Senator Iyiola Omisore, the governorship candidate of the party are major stakeholders in the September election and they have been preaching peace across Osun State as well as the need for a free and fair election in the state before and during the on going electioneering campaign across the state,” the SDP said.
In its own reaction, the ADP called on the public to ignore the allegation, saying it was part of a grand plan to find excuses to arrest its major contenders in the election.
Its statement, which was signed by the Director of Media and Publicity, Moshood Adeoti Campaign Organization, Mr Kayode Agbaje, said findings by the party showed that no billboard was vandalized in both towns.
“The APC as we all know is known for such acts as evident in one of the ADP’s billboards located at Kajola along the busy Osogbo-Ilesa Road recently vandalized by some individuals believed to be APC agents.
“We also want to state it for the record that the party is also capable of vandalizing its own billboards and later come back to accuse others of committing the crime,” the statement read in part.