Osun: APC, PDP accuse each other of illegal arms possession ahead state assembly election

BLESSING AKOROWOSI, Osogbo

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun state have pointed accusing fingers at each other ahead of the state assembly election over illegal possession of arms.

They alleged the use of armed thugs for the presidential and national assembly elections, calling on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Usman Alkali Baba to swiftly take action.

The Osun State Acting Chairman of the APC, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, in a statement issued by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Chief Kola Olabisi stated that it is disheartening, worrisome and scary that political hoodlums who are loyal to Governor Ademola Adeleke and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) openly flaunt arms and ammunitions across the state.

Lawal alleged that the political thugs have become willing instruments and tools of oppression, victimisation, attack, maiming and killing of the opposition members by the PDP since the inauguration of the administration of Governor Adeleke on November 27, 2022.

He stated that no fewer than 30 members of the opposition have been killed by the Adeleke goons within less than a hundred days of his administration.

Lawal explained that the PDP and Adeleke have been using the armed thugs to threaten, scare and terrorise the members and supporters of his party from casting their votes for their choices of candidates in all the past elections in the state.

“I doubt if there is any credible, free and fair election that can be held in Osun State under the present heavily militarized condition by the PDP thugs.

“We enjoin your good offices to handle the suggested withdrawal of the illegal arms and ammunition from the PDP political thugs before the House of Assembly elections this Saturday with dispatch. What we are saying is that the electorates should be allowed to vote for their choices of candidates without coercion”, he urged the security heads.

Meanwhile, in a statement signed by its Caretaker Chairman, Dr Akindele Adekunle on Sunday, the PDP accused the APC of killing its members before the general elections.

“Since the outcome of Saturday’s election was made known, people of Iree town in Boripe local government have been leaving in palpable fear as the sound of gunshots forced many of the residents indoors.”

“To our dismay, there was no military operation in that axis to have warranted such level of gunshots, rather, it was a former Commissioner in Gboyega Oyetola government and his thugs acting with reckless impunity,”

Governor Adeleke has consistently warned against violence, which the PDP strictly adhered to. This is more reason why we are calling on the IGP to come to the rescue of the Osun people and save it from the impending bloodletting that the APC is planning to execute.

“It is no longer secret that the APC is no longer acceptable to Osun people, hence, its resort to violence as captured in a leaked conversation on its plan for the March 11 election. The IGP has a duty to protect the Osun people, and we implore him to do so without tarrying,” he said.