Osun Election: Fresh accusations emerge as Adeleke, APC trade claims

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Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, have traded allegations over claims of police interference, political protests and an alleged plot to disrupt voting ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

The fresh confrontation followed separate statements released on Monday by the Imole Campaign Council, TICC, which is supporting Adeleke’s re-election, and the Osun APC Governorship Campaign Council.

Both camps accused each other of attempting to influence security and electoral institutions ahead of the August 15 poll.

In separate statements signed by Bamidele Salam, Chairman of its Media and Publicity Committee, and Pelumi Olajengbesi, its spokesperson, TICC dismissed the APC’s claim that Adeleke planned to blackmail the Nigeria Police Force through a protest involving hired women.

The campaign council described the allegation as baseless and accused the APC of allegedly using the police to intimidate and harass political opponents during the election period.

TICC further alleged that at least six of its members had been killed, while several others sustained injuries in incidents of political violence.

“It is nothing but mischief for the APC that has unleashed unimaginable violence on Osun people, killing no fewer than six of our members, to turn around to blame the victim,” TICC said.

The council also claimed that more than 60 Accord Party members had been arrested by the police without justification.

It accused the security agency of applying different standards to APC members allegedly linked to acts of violence.

TICC further claimed that “some Accord members had been arrested from their homes and alleged that security personnel had escorted suspected political thugs.”

The campaign council also referred to a viral video which it said appeared to show a police officer handing a firearm to a suspected political thug in Ilesa.

TICC appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to intervene and ensure what it described as impartial and balanced policing ahead of the election.

“We totally reject the overt attempt by the Police to influence the August 15 governorship poll through coercion and unlawful arrests of Accord leaders and members,” the council said.

The campaign council separately accused the APC of allegedly pressuring the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to stop voting by 12pm in some local government areas during Saturday’s election.

It alleged that the proposed measure was targeted at areas regarded as Adeleke’s political strongholds, with the intention of reducing voter turnout and disenfranchising eligible voters.

“We therefore call on INEC to resist every form of political pressure and strictly adhere to its established voting procedures and timelines,” TICC spokesman Pelumi Olajengbesi said.

The council urged INEC not to arbitrarily shut any polling unit while eligible voters who arrived within the prescribed voting period were still waiting to cast their ballots.

It also called on election observers, civil society organisations, international organisations and the media to closely monitor the electoral process.

The APC, however, rejected the accusations and countered that Adeleke and the Accord Party were attempting to intimidate the police through a planned protest involving vulnerable women.

In a statement issued by Engr Oluremi Omowaiye, Head of the Media and Publicity Committee of the APC campaign council, the party alleged that some women had been recruited to demonstrate at the Osun State Police Command headquarters in Osogbo.

The APC further claimed that some of the women had allegedly been directed to stage the protest while partially unclothed.

“Intelligence available to us reveals a preplanned, highly provocative plot to hire vulnerable women—some of whom have been instructed to protest half-naked—and march them to the State Police Command Headquarters in Osogbo,” the APC said.

The party maintained that the police were investigating persons suspected of involvement in electoral violence and urged security agencies to remain professional in the build-up to the election.

The APC also appealed to its supporters to remain peaceful and law-abiding as voters across Osun State prepare to participate in the August 15 governorship poll.

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