Osun Election: PDP Reveals Plot To Kidnap Leaders, As Parties Sign Peace Accord

By Ayodele Oni

To guarantee peace and orderliness in Saturday’s governorship poll in Osun state, candidates from  political parties participating in the poll have signed a peace accord.

Coming barely three days to the gubernatorial election, the Convener of the National Peace Committee, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, said violence is a fundamental threat to Nigeria’s democracy.

On the back of the peace accord, the opposition People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) has raised an alarm over an alleged plan to kidnap some of its leaders before the election.

Bishop Kukah, during the signing of the agreement, charged the aspirants and politicians to see the accord as a symbolic commitment to democracy, adding that Nigeria desperately needs a peaceful environment.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu appealed to all political parties, candidates and other actors to play their part in supporting the Peace Accord.

“It is not enough to simply sign the Peace Accord. What is more important is to abide by its letter and spirit.

“This is the best way to show your commitment to the implementation of the Peace Accord and your appreciation of the work of the Peace Committee,” Yakubu said.

Both representative of the Inspector General of Police, DIG Johnson Babatunde and Oni of Ife, O a Adeyeye Ogunwusi called for peace during the election and warned parents and their wards not to allow themselves be used as thugs by politicians.

“We will not rest until the vote buyers and sellers are taken off our streets. Security is our collective responsibility,” the DIG said.

In his words, the Ooni of Ife, said “Power belongs to the people, you can only try your best. We appeal to all our political actors to follow the rules of the game as we look forward to a peaceful election.”

PDP in a statement said some of its prominent leaders have been marked for arrest, hours to the governorship election.

PDP also accused APC of flooding the state with thugs and fake policemen with a plan to arrest, attack and intimidate its leaders.

In a statement signed by its Caretaker Committee Chairman, Dr. Akindele Adekunle, on Wednesday, the party said APC was planning mass arrest of the PDP leaders to stop them from mobilizing members of the party from coming out to vote.

“Notable leaders of the PDP were already penciled down for arrest by security operatives with many others also tabled for wanton kidnap by political thugs purposely imported into Osun by the jittery APC.

“Osun PDP wishes to advise the Nigerian Police and other security agencies in the state to resist the evil offer from the APC no matter how enticing it is.

“Arresting these noble men at gunpoint for political convenience of the APC is tantamount to stepping on the tail of a vigilant cobra who is encircled by its grown siblings. The State may not have good stories to tell afterwards but we believe the police have a choice to avoid the professional pitfall.

“Without doubt therefore, it will be a careless negligence of history and professional failure on the part of the police who are expected to take adequate profiling of the state and its constituents, before embarking on such suicidal mission,” the party said.