The All Progressives Congress (APC) today slammed Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, over his use of masked gunmen as security men during his ongoing electioneering campaign for the August 9 election in the state.
In a statement issued in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, APC said the only reason Mr. Omisore could have resorted to hiring ‘ninjas’ for protection is because he is afraid of his own shadows.
It wondered how a man who wants to rule a state will be afraid to move freely among the same people whose votes his is canvassing. The party said the PDP candidate should emulate Gov. Rauf Aregbesola, who is barely distinguishable from the ordinary citizens of the state.
“Every month, Gov. Aregbesola leads the people of the state in a jogging exercise on the streets, during which he mixes freely with them. Not once has a ‘ninja’ been spotted behind him in the name of security,” APC noted.
“During his ongoing electioneering campaign, Gov. Aregbesola has continued with his tradition of being with the people without any invasive security. Mr. Omisore has a lot to learn from Gov. Aregbesola, and should realise that being a people’s governor goes beyond a made-for-television eating of roasted corn or riding of Okada,” the party added.
APC said if the PDP governorship candidate had known the history of masked gunmen or ‘ninjas’, he would not have resorted to the use of masked gunmen for protection.
“The message which the use of masked gun men sends to the populace is that of intimidation, harassment, espionage, sabotage, assassination and terrorism. No one seeking to rule a state should want to be portrayed in that light. Therefore, we call on Mr. Omisore to immediately halt the use of masked gun men unless of course it is a deliberate ploy to intimidate and terrorize the same people he wants to govern,” it said.
APC said it is bad judgement for anyone, least of all a public official, to resort to the use of ‘ninjas’ for security at a time the country is reeling from terrorist attacks that have left thousands of people dead or injured.
The party wondered why uniformed or plain-cloth policemen as well as State Security Service (SSS) personnel are suddenly not good enough for Mr. Omisore.
According to the party, “Mr. Omisore and the PDP should please spare the peaceful people of Osun State any further harassment and intimidation. The PDP should prevail on its candidate to be civil. A man who wants to rule a state should not be afraid to mix freely with the same people. Osun people say no to ‘ninjas’.
“If Mr. Omisore and the PDP think we are crying wolf, they should monitor the comments being made on the picture that has been posted in the social media showing a ‘ninja’ standing behind the PDP governorship candidate. Perhaps then they will realise how much they have goofed.”

•Photo shows Osun State PDP governorship candidate Iyiola Omisore, with a masked gunman as security.

Update news