Mimiko after my life, says deputy

Protesters yesterday attacked the convoy of Ondo State Deputy Governor Ali Olanusi, blocking his entrance to the Government House.

His security personnel shot  into the air to disperse the protesters.

Olanusi defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

It was gathered that as the Supare-Akoko politician was leaving his home town, some youths, carrying placards with inscriptions, such as “Ali must go”; “No way for Olanusi in Government House”; “Olanusi is a traitor” and “Jasper Ali must resign”, blocked his convoy.

The security personnel attached to the deputy governor shot into the air to scare away the protesters before the convoy could make its way through the road leading to the Government House.

Residents, who heard the gunshots, ran for cover, thinking it was a robbery.

Some of the protesters threw stones, water sachets and eggs at the vehicles, hitting one of the vehicles.

Olanusi, who spoke with reporters, accused Governor Olusegun Mimiko of using suspected political thugs to harass him.

“It is surprising that a governor is going around with thugs to attack me. You can see things yourself at the roundabout, the thugs he hired there and at the gate there, if I had not come with my convoy, they would have attacked me.

“I call on the assistant inspector general and the inspector general of Police to protect me. They should provide me with more mobile policemen. I am ready to resume duty as the elected deputy governor.

“Nobody has told me to resign. If they are talking about impeachment they should go about it in a lawful way, not that they should use thugs to attack me.

“They should realise that as Mimiko was elected, I Ali Olanusi, was equally elected. He cannot be chasing me with thugs.”

Speaking in an interview on a private radio station, Olanusi said some  hoodlums have been trailing him.

He urged the people to tell Mimiko to spare his life.

But the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Eni Akinsola, denied that political thugs were used to harass the deputy governor.

He said some people were trying to reverse the peace trend the state had been enjoying in the last six years.

According to him, Olanusi came to the town shooting into the air and it was aggrieved residents, who protested against the deputy governor.

Akinsola said people should accept democracy as a normal way of life, accept when their calculation go wrong and accept defeat.

The Nation gathered that electricity to the deputy governor’s official quarters has been disconnected.

Besides,the monthly salaries of his aides have been stopped