Ondo State ex-commissioner for Finance, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, has decried the alleged return of thuggery to the political space in the state.

Akinterinwa, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), alleged that the hoodlums attacked citizens, who came to welcome President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the state.

Akinterinwa, in a statement by spokesman for his campaign structure, Segun Ajiboye, alleged that the thugs were sponsored by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The statement said: “The thugs, fully loaded in unmarked vehicles, did not in any way hide their devilish intentions, as they went round major streets of Akure, destroying the billboards of other governorship aspirants of the APC.

“The thugs, fully armed with assorted guns, shot into the air to create fears in people.

“Expectedly, thousands of APC supporters, who had prepared to receive the president, ran helter-skelter for their lives.

“The ugly incident happened barely 24 hours after the Wale Akinterinwa Campaign Structure had raised the alarm about the dastardly activities by certain elements acting for and on behalf of Aiyedatiwa, to prevent APC members and leaders who are not in his camp from receiving President Tinubu during his visit to Akure.

“Today’s action by the thugs acting on the directives of Mr. Governor is most undemocratic, disrespectful, unreasonable and a disdainful attempt by any chief executive in the annals of democracy in Nigeria.

Chief Press Secretary to Governor Aiyedatiwa, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said nobody associated with the governor would destroy billboards or attack innocent citizens.

“This is not true. I do not know where they got the information from.”

“This is a sad reminder of the wicked old days in the politics of our dear state. It marks an avoidable return to the dark days of hooligans and political bandits in Ondo State.”

END.