The Osun state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state of employing falsehood to misled the Police authorities into doing its bidding as a part of a calculated attempt to subvert democratic process in the state.
The PDP in a statement signed by its Chairman, Hon. Sunday Bisi, said it is the height of evil for the APC who was responsible for inflicting violence on its members in Ilesa on Wednesday to now turnaround and play the victim, calling on the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun and the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Muhammed Umar Abba, to reject the antics of the APC to get away with violent attacks on PDP members.
Hon. Bisi lambasted the APC for churning out lies on the incident in Ilesa in order to blackmail the Police authorities which is armed with facts on the matter and already taking appropriate action, noting that Kola Olabisi media circus is a clearer affirmation of the popular saying that “only the guilty is afraid.”
“Contrary to the lies peddled by Kola Olabisi, it was the PDP that held a rally in Ilesa on Wednesday, and not the APC. The APC had its rally on Tuesday in Ilesa and we ensured that our party members stayed away so as to preserve the peace of the town,” Hon. Bisi clarified.
“But to our greatest shock, APC thugs led by Mr. Tobiloba Famurewa invaded the PDP rally on Wednesday, unleashing violence that disrupted the rally and made our members to disperse in different directions in search for safety. This was against the commitment Mr. Famurewa made before the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for Ilesa West on the morning of Wednesday in the presence of our candidate, Hon. Ditti Aluko, as part of effort to forestall violence and ensure peace.
“Other assailants, believed to be APC thugs who invaded the PDP rally with Mr. Famurewa, and attacked our members, leaving two of them, Owopetu Zachariah and Chibuzoh critically injured from matchets cut, are Ojo Agboola, Sesan Alaafin, Rasheed Saheed, Ali Dodo, E-money, Nafisal Omole, Awe Mayowa (Apase), Sola aka Solebo, Ali Crosser, Tope Alajue, Sodiq Ogundare.
“Despite the provocation of the attack, our party through candidate, Hon. Aluko refused to take laws into our hands and immediately reported the matter to the DPO, who was obviously displeased by the action of Mr. Famurewa and his hired thugs. We went to this great length to explain the timeline of events to show that the APC was the aggressor and should be treated as such, not the victim it is trying to present to the Police authorities and the public.
“It is important to note the consistent effort of the APC to manipulate people into believing it is a victim, whereas, it is the main actor of violence in the Osun political environment and serious efforts should be made to bring it to account. While it continues to bandy lies about PDP killing non-existent member, the truth, which we will want to reiterate is that, it was the APC thugs that killed PDP members in the build-up to the 2022 and 2023 elections.
“Unlike them, PDP members killed by APC thugs have names, faces and families who still miss them till today. Rafiu Quadri Abiodun from Ilosi, Elijah Baba Ewe from Ayinrin are PDP members shot dead in the open by assailants believed to be APC thugs in Ilesa in the buildup to the 2023 elections. Gbenga Femi from Olorunsogo was only fortunate to survive the brutal attack that was captured in a viral video that could still be assessed on the internet, but the injury sustained will definitely be lifelong.
“In the build up to the March 18 House of Assembly election, Wole, a vulcanizer by profession, who is a member of the PDP in Ifetedo was brazenly killed by suspected APC thugs while on the day of election, the APC Organizing Secretary in the state, Rashidi Adeniji, reportedly shot Gani Gele, a PDP member to death in Ila local. These are just a few of the examples of the numerous violent acts inflicted on PDP members in Osun by APC thugs.”
Hon. Bisi charged the Police not to succumb to the Osun APC theatrics to conceal its heinous crimes and derail the upcoming local government elections in Osun state with violence, saying the PDP is for peace and will support any effort for the peaceful conduct of the February 22 poll.
“Almost everyone knows that APC is not prepared for the upcoming local polls and will do anything to subvert it. After failing in the courts, we are afraid that the APC may be exploring violence to ensure the election do not hold or discredit the process. This is what the Ilesa incident clearly portrayed and we hope that security agents, including the Police, will hard stance against the anti-democratic elements who thrives on lies and confusion.”
