The Peoples Democratic Party National Campaign Council for Ondo Governorship Election has condemned a statement credited to the All Progressives Congress and Governor Rotimi Akeredolu against a former governor of the state, Olusegun Mimiko, and a former Chief Judge of the state, Olasehinde Kumuyi.

Akeredolu was alleged to have said on a television programme that Mimiko and Kumuyi were his “enemies for life” for not supporting him and his party, the APC, ahead of the October 10, 2020 governorship election. The PDP campaign council described the statement as hate speech.

This was contained in a statement titled, ‘PDP condemns Akeredolu’s ‘Enemy For Life’ comment on Mimiko, Kumuyi,’ which was signed by the Chairman, Publicity Sub-Committee of the council, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Monday.

He said Akeredolu and the APC had become deflated and overwhelmed by the massive support for the PDP’s candidate, Eyitayo Jegede across the state.

The PDP said it was unfortunate that “the governor can toe such ungodly path in his desperation to cling to power despite being rejected by his people due to his failures.

“Akeredolu’s recourse to hate comments against patriotic leaders and citizens of Ondo state over the consensus by the people to replace him with the PDP candidate, Eyitayo Jegede.

Our campaign wants Governor Akeredolu to note that the Ondo people cannot be cowed by his enmity towards them. Ondo State belongs to the people and Governor Akeredolu cannot intimidate anybody to submission.”

When contacted, the state Commissioner for Information, Donald Ojogor, declined to react to the matter.

“They deserve no comment for their misdirected aggression,” Ojogor told our correspondent.