The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate in the forthcoming Ondo state October 10 election, Prince Dapo Adelegan has condemned strongly the recent spate of political violence in the state, he did this during a courtesy visit paid by the VoteNotFight courtesy visit to his campaign office in Akure.
Adelegan, a leading candidate in the election condemned heavily the culture of political violence which he says was institutionalized by the APC and PDP in Ondo state.
He stated ‘the life of a single person is not worth being lost for seeking power, if democracy is for the people and by the people, why should people then be sacrificed on the altar of political campaign?’
He stated clearly that ‘APC and PDP have elevated thuggery and political war to a new level in our politicking in Nigeria and that does not augur well for our society’
He further stated that the people need to hold them accountable and urged the youths to hold them responsible for acts of violence carried out during the election stating that there are documented cases of thugs in campaign cars of some candidates brandishing guns and weapons.
Adelegan continued that the circle of getting power by violence means it must be sustained in that manner too, saying the general view of Ondo state is that it’s a political volatile state which is not encouraging to development.
He stated that several sons of the state are afraid of coming back home due to such a state of things, he further appealed to people of Ondo state saying ‘No society can grow with violence, no society can grow with high level of political crisis every four years’
The ADC candidate called on all other candidates to come forward and test their ideas in an atmosphere of debate rather than violence and stated that the choice lies with Ondo state people whether to renew a candidate’s term or vote them out.
He urged the people of Ondo state to shun vote buying, saying ‘Dont collect 4 thousand and fast for 4years by voting the wrong person’
He thanked the VoteNotFight team for their effort and encouraged them to include in their campaign Voter education.