The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised alarm on the dangerous arms build up by the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the House of Assembly election on Saturday, calling on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Usman Alkali Baba, to urgently deploy resources to remove dangerous weapons in possession of thugs in service of the main opposition party in the state.
The PDP in a statement signed by its Caretaker Chairman, Dr Akindele Adekunle on Sunday, said the APC has become increasingly desperate following its woeful performance in the presidential and national assembly elections last on February 25, warning of a serious danger to the state and its people if the Police chief failed to act in time.
Dr Akindele pointed to the terrible experience of the people of Iree in Boripe local government, where a former APC Commissioner and his thugs have been shooting sporadically into the air for the past three days, adding that the scenario is the same in Ayedade local government where the APC Assembly candidate led thugs to kill several fulani cows in the despicable act of intimidating people.
” As at the time of filling this report, APC thugs are parading the streets of Ife East and Central with guns and other dangerous weapons. There are credible report that the arms build up also affected entire Ijeshaland and others .
“Since the outcome of Saturday 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,” the statement noted.
“We understand that he was livid at the poor performance of the APC in the election and angry at the people for making their democratic choice. So, he wants to scare them and make sure they don’t come out on March 11 to exercise their franchise as enshrined in the Constitution.
“Similar despicable act is being experience in Ayedade local government, and just recently, the APC candidate led thugs to kill several fulani cows. This is an overreach and we strongly call on the IGP to swift into action before APC throw Osun on fire out of its desperation.”
The PDP reminded the Police chief of the devastating loss it suffered in the hands of the APC and its thugs in the build up to the February 25 election, asking the police chief to prevent any repeat.
“Before the February 25 election, the APC went on violent spree and the PDP suffered hugely. In Ikire, Irewole local government. Two PDP members were gunned down by the APC in the houses at the dead of the night, and in Ilesa, three PDP members were crudely murdered in broad-day light by the APC,” he recalled.
“PDP member in Osogbo, Ife, Boripe and other parts of the state were casualties of the APC rascality and unreasonable campaign of violence. In spite of all these loses, the PDP did not retaliate and instead, trusting the law that justice will take its course.
“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 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 Osun people, and we implore him to do so without tarry,” he stressed.
