“Our Members Are Being Attacked” – Osun APC, Accuses Police Of Connivance

By Ayodele Oni

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised the alarm over an alleged mass attack being launched on its members in parts of the State.

The party has, therefore, charged the state commissioner of police, Mr Patrick Kehinde Longe, to swing into action with a view to arresting, investigating and prosecuting those behind the attacks.

It blamed some leaders and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state  for being behind the attacks, maiming and killing of the APC members and their supporters in the state.

The state acting chairman of the APC, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, in a statement issued by  Kola Olabisi, the party’s State Director of Media and Information, in Osogbo, on Sunday, appealed to the state commissioner of police and other security agencies to come to the aid of the APC members, who are being attacked and killed by the PDP thugs.

The statement added that the scenario has been going on since the inauguration of Governor Ademola Adeleke in November 27, 2022.

Lawal stated that one attribute of the Osun State PDP handlers is that they would be the ones attacking and killing APC members and at the same time be the ones complaining.

Lawal listed victims of the attacks to include an APC member in Ikire, Mr Saheed Oyegunju, who was abducted by suspected political thugs, in the broad daylight in the town about a week ago, was later found dead in the outskirt of the town.

He also recalled that the APC members were attacked in Ile-Ife, Ede, Ila-Orangun, Osogbo and some other towns in the state by the PDP thugs with attendant destruction of their properties. Yet, no action was taken by the Police.

Lawal disclosed that of particular reference is the Atakumosa-East Local Government Council Area of the state where almost all the APC members in the constituency have been run out.

He recalled that the immediate-past state commissioner for works and transport who doubles as the Osun State spokesman for Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Engr Remi Omowaiye, had been attacked with his supporters about three times with his Tinubu/Shettima Campaign Office in Ilesa destroyed along with  vehicles.

According to Lawal, the Chief of Staff to the serving Speaker of the state House of Assembly was seriously injured with broken bottles by in Ilesa about three weeks ago for no just cause, while the known suspects have been moving freely in the ancient town without being arrested by the police.

The state APC chairman disclosed that peace has taken flight from the hitherto most peaceful state in Nigeria since Governor Adeleke’s administration was inaugurated in the state in November 27, 2022.

He hinted that there is hardly a week that there are no reported cases of extra-judicial killings of innocent people in the state by the PDP killer squad who has been operating freely in Osogbo and other parts of the state

Lawal disclosed further that it is no longer news that Governor Adeleke Ede home has since become a refuge for dangerous and notorious thugs who terrorize, harass, attack and kill some innocent members of the opposition in the state.

“Why has it been difficult for the police to arrest Sanya Omirin, Lere Oyewumi, Clement Akanni Olorunwa, Adesina Rabiu Atanda(ARA),  Sarafa Awotunde a.k.a. ‘Spain’, all PDP chieftains in Osun State who have been inciting their members and hoodlums to attack, maim and kill the APC members and their supporters?

“The leadership of the police in Osun State is giving a room for us, the APC members and leaders, to suspect and conclude that the police has been doing the bidding of the PDP and Adeleke in the state.

“Let me state here that immediately the current commissioner of police was transferred to Osun State to replace the one who was yet to spend two months, the members and leaders of the PDP went into a wild jubilation, saying that: ‘Yes, we are happy that our man has resumed as the state CP’, which was a loaded statement.

“The long and short of my political sermon is that the leadership of the Osun State Police Command should maintain visible and verifiable neutrality in the discharge of the statutory duties of policing at all times especially during this critical period in the history of the state.

“The allegations of violence levelled against the APC members by the leadership of the PDP in the state should be discountenanced as lacking in substance and fact.

“It was frivolous borne out of desperation merely orchestrated by the PDP leadership to cage the opposition in the state, thereby creating non-level play ground for genuine politics and politicking to thrive.”