By Dapo Akinrefon

Lagos—The Lagos State chapters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday engaged in war of words over vandalisism of its posters, billboards and banners all over Lagos by thugs and hoodlums.

While the APC accused the PDP of sponsoring thugs to vandalise its billboards, the PDP faulted the claim, saying it was untrue.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, Lagos APC Publicity Secretary, Engr. Joe Igbokwe, alleged that some thugs masquerading as members of the illegal Federal Task Force in Lagos pulled down the posters and billboards of APC candidates all over Lagos, even on Lagos State roads.

The party, however, called on the Lagos State Police Commissioner and his command to act quickly and decisively to stop the brigandage of the PDP in the state.

Mr Igbokwe accused the PDP of “inciting and inviting a war in Lagos by the reckless way and manner they have been destroying APC banners, posters and billboards all over Lagos”.

He said: “It is clear that the PDP thinks it can overwhelm Lagos with brute force and state sponsored criminality and if it is so sure that it will win Lagos, as it has been lousily boasting, why is it precipitating a war in Lagos? Does it also have the capacity to manage the war in the unlikely event that it wins a state where it is not welcome?

“We want to state that our members are running out of patience in this continued provocation. While we are trying our utmost best to restrain our members from being drawn into any war that will undermine our well oiled wheel of change, we warn that there is a limit to tolerance and that our members may be forced to react even if to defend themselves and their interests.

“We warn that the PDP should not mistake our resolve to keep the peace as a necessary condition for the long desired change Nigerians are longing for, as a sign of submission and docility. We warn that we may be forced to react if pushed to the wall and the perpetrators of this ongoing deliberate brigandage will be held responsible for this.

“We call on the Lagos State Police Commissioner and his command to act quickly and decisively to stop this brigandage for we cannot continue to complain while the PDP is deliberately allowed to breach the security and peace of Lagos. We warn that Lagosians will not tolerate this criminality any longer. We leave this as a last warning.”

APC’s claim untrue — PDP 

In its defense, Lagos State PDP tackled the APC over its claim.

Speaking with Vanguard, state Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Taofik Gani said: “We know that the true intent behind the falsehood now employed by the Lagos APC publicity is simply to lay the foundation to claim that there was no level playing ground in the process leading to the elections. Obviously they are losing in the coming elections.”

“They are also notorious for raising accusations in area they have committed default or plan to commit default.”

While he dismissed the assertion made by the APC over removal of its posters, the party’s spokesperson said it was their posters that are being torn and subsequently removed by APC supporters.

“It is our posters that are being torn. The police have their intelligence report and that is why they want to protect all parties, not PDP in particular. My call at this time is for the Police to arrest and prosecute the APC leaders who may have said this to come and show why he should not be jailed for maligning the Police in order to obstruct their powers to maintain law and order.

”The APC is always quick to condemn or blackmail any government official, agency or system which they cannot compromise to support their inordinate cause,” he said.