By Adeyemi Adeleye
The Lagos PDP and the JandorFunke Campaign Council on Tuesday vowed to petition the Directorate of State Security (DSS) and other security agencies over alleged attacks on its supporters on Lagos Island on Sunday.
The party, which disclosed this during a solidarity visit to the victims of political attacks on Lagos Island and Eti-Osa Local Government Areas, said it would not succumb to intimidation and harassment of its supporters.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the team included the PDP State Publicity Secretary, Mr Hakeem Amode; the Director of Strategy of the JandorFunke Campaign Council, Mr Niyi Adam, and a former Deputy Chairman of the party, Chief Ola Apena, among others.
Speaking, Prince Niyi Adams said that no amount of intimidation and harassment would stop the victory of the PDP in the coming elections.
Adams said the team came on the mandate of the Governorship Candidate, Dr Abdul-Azeez Adediran (Jandor) and the leadership of the PDP to assure the victims of support.
He said that a formal complaint would be sent to the security agencies especially the DSS.
According to him, the party will ensure that anyone found guilty is put behind bar during the election.
Also, Mr Hakeem Amode, the party’s State Publicity Secretary and Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee of JandorFunke 2023 Campaign Council, said that the party would stand by its supporters who had suffered one form of attack or the other during campaigns.
Sympathising with party supporters at Oke-Popo area of Lagos Island, Amode assured them of their safety and security ahead of the forthcoming elections.
He explained that a video had emerged of some PDP supporters calling for help and appealing to the security agencies to come to their aid as their lives were being threatened for supporting the PDP on Lagos Island.
Amode said: “On behalf of the chairman and the entire leadership of the party and our governorship candidate, we assure you that the party is behind you.
“There is no reason for anybody to be afraid, we will always support you. The party sends assurance. No reason for the APC to threaten you. They are afraid.”
On his part, Apena said that the party leadership saw the video which went viral, saying, “we are in a democracy where there should be no room for intimidation”.
Apena said that the PDP’s campaign train were attacked in Badagry, Ojo, Agege, Surulere and other places, ” but we remain undeterred.”
Narrating their experience, the victims said they now live in fear for daring to support the opposition party and its candidate.
One of the victims, Oluwaranti Akinsemayin while briefing the PDP leaders on what transpired on Sunday said, “Some people came on the fateful day and started destroying the posters and banners of the PDP and its candidates.
“They said if we want to support another party apart from APC, we have to go back to our states and that we cannot come and settle here in Lagos and not support the present government and the party in power.
“We challenged them that we have every right to support any party or candidate of our choice and nobody has the right to impose any party on us. That was how they started threatening us.”
Also speaking, Mrs Mistura Anifowoshe expressed her frustration over the continued harassment of the PDP members, asking if it was a crime for another party to come out and contest election in this state.
“They (political thugs) are threatening to kill us if we do not support the government of the day,” she alleged.
Responding, the team assured that the party would be ensure they are adequately protected ahead of the elections.
The team also visited alleged victimised supporters at Gbara Community in Eti-Osa LGA..(NAN)
