Osun PDP warns Police, APC over alleged plot to kidnap PDP leaders
*Accuses APC of flooding Osun with fake Policemen
*Chides Oyetola for denying PDP permit to use Freedom Square, Stadium
As the people of Osun State prepare to elect a new Governor on Saturday, July 16, 2022, the State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised the alarm over alleged planned arrest of its prominent leaders, the flooding of the state with thugs and the refusal of permit for the party’s mega rally, accusing the Oyetola’s government of devilish desperation in the face of imminent defeat.
Osun PDP, in a statement by its Caretaker Committee Chairman, Dr Akindele Adekunle, which was made available to newsmen on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, further alleged that the ruling party’s evil plans, were hatched ostensibly to confer undue advantage on the APC in Saturday’s governorship poll.
Adekunle said that notable leaders of the PDP have already been penciled down for arrest by security operatives, with many others also marked for wanton kidnap by political thugs purposely imported into Osun by the jittery APC.
“Specifically, the following prominent leaders of Osun PDP have been marked by the APC and their names already submitted to security agencies for arrest or outright kidnap by political thugs to be aided by security operatives were: Hon. Sunday Bisi, Akogun Lere Oyewumi, Hon. Clement Akanni, Hon. Sanya Omirin, Barrister Kolapo Alimi, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye and Alhaji Abdul-Ganiyu Ayobami Olaoluwa, amongst several others.
The statement reads in part: “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. This advice became imperative as many of the names submitted to them for harassment are respected community leaders, who are historical leaders and are emotionally attached to their various communities.
“Arresting these noble men at gunpoint for political conveniences 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 Police will do well to dust their intelligence archives before firing a single shot of arrest at any PDP leader in Osun State. These are leaders with no dual face and who have no other place to call their home other than Osun after contributing so much to the development of the State. They are synonymous to their traditional communities. Harassing them is therefore an invitation to avoidable turmoil capable of spiralling out of hand, beyond the shores of Osun State.”
Adekunle added: “It must be stated that our party is not responsible for the overwhelming rejection of Mr Gboyega Oyetola and intimidating acceptance of our Candidate, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, by the good people of Osun State in the coming election. We expect the APC to take a conscientious stock of their performance in the past twelve years and apologize for their willful failure in the past 12 years, instead of using security agencies to harass innocent leaders of men, whose right of choice as members of PDP is established by laws of the land.”
Osun PDP further alleged that the APC has flooded the state with fake Police personnel.
According to the PDP: “Information reaching our party also suggests that the ruling All Progressives Congress has stationed hundreds of fake policemen in hotels located at strategic communities in the state.
“Prior to this point, our party has been inundated with information on how a section of Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s Iragbiji home was being used to take measurements of some strange individuals with a ploy to sewing perfect match of Police uniforms for them.
”We are however convinced that such security heresy would not be possible without illicit involvement of formal security outfits like the Police. In other to avoid security mix-ups, therefore, it is pertinent that the Nigerian Police and the Department of State Service (DSS), conduct thorough and proactive steps on this potential breach of the peace before it assumes a dimension the Police may not be able to curtail.
“We wish to assure members and supporters of Osun PDP of our party’s capacity and readiness to protect their right as law abiding citizens. Part of such efforts was the declaration of the Federal High Court, Osogbo, on Wednesday, restraining the Police or anyone from arresting or harassing one of our members in Osogbo, Ajagungbade Emir, who was declared wanted by the Police for no just cause.
“We will continue to toe the path of honour and the law to protect our members against the jungle posture of the drowning APC.
The PDP also berated Governor Oyetola for denying it the use of the Stadium and Freedom Square for its campaigns, saying: “Last of the many undemocratic conduct of the State Government is the deliberate and illegal refusal to allow the PDP to use two public infrastructure for its mega rally slated for tomorrow, Thursday, July 14, 2022.
“Our party had duly applied in compliance with regulations but we were shocked that they (State government) rejected our applications for both the Freedom Square and the Osogbo stadium.
“The action of the state government is a breach of the fundamental right of PDP members as bona fide residents of Osun state who have inalienable rights to enjoy usage of public facilities as citizens of the state.
“While we note the fear of defeat now gripping the APC, we caution that the state government is setting dangerous precedent by its refusal of permit without any justifiable reasons.
“Our rally will hold at Osogbo tomorrow and the mass attendance that is scaring the APC will still be shown to the whole world. We appeal to our people to remain vigilant and bold to vote and protect their votes on Saturday.
