ACCORD Alleges Police, APC Plot to Attack Adeleke’s Media Aides
By Waliu Adetokun, Osogbo
The Osun State chapter of the Accord Party has alleged that some officers of the Osun State Police Command are collaborating with political thugs linked to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to attack media aides of Governor Ademola Adeleke and other supporters of the administration ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The allegation was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Osun State Chairman of the party, Pastor Victor Akande.
According to the statement, the party claimed it had received credible intelligence indicating that some police officers were uncomfortable with what it described as the continued exposure of their alleged partisan conduct by members of the Governor’s media team.
The statement alleged that the officers had resolved to use suspected APC thugs to carry out attacks on the media aides in a manner that would allow them to deny any involvement.
The party cited the recent attack on the Governor’s Special Assistant on Youth Parliament, Adekunle Akinrinade, as evidence to support its claim.
It alleged that Akinrinade was attacked in broad daylight near the APC campaign office in the Ogooluwa area of Osogbo despite not wearing any Accord Party insignia at the time.
According to the party, “He was attacked in broad daylight along the APC campaign office at the Ogooluwa area of Osogbo without even putting on any Accord paraphernalia, which shows he was trailed by APC thugs until he was attacked.”
The party condemned the alleged plot, accusing some officers of abandoning their constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property.
“We are alarmed that those entrusted with protecting citizens could contemplate harming the very people they are paid to secure just to satisfy certain political interests. We strongly condemn this gross betrayal of responsibility and duty by those involved,” the statement read.
The Accord Party further described the alleged conduct as a serious abuse of policing and accused some officers of acting in the interest of the APC.
“Police exist to fight crime and keep people safe, but unfortunately, some men of the Osun Police Command continue to portray themselves as an arm of the APC, serving as a tool of oppression and intimidation ahead of the election,” the statement added.
The party said it would hold the Commissioner of Police in Osun State, Ibrahim Gotan, and an officer identified as Lukman Afolabi, popularly known as Eluku, responsible if any member of Governor Adeleke’s media team or any official of the administration was harmed.
It maintained that working for the Osun State Government under Governor Ademola Adeleke was not an offence under any law.
“Working for the Osun State Government under Governor Adeleke is never a crime under any law, and we reject every attempt to criminalise those serving in the present administration,” the party stated.
The Accord Party also appealed to Nigerians, civil society organisations and other democracy advocates to pay close attention to developments in Osun State.
“Given the prevailing reality of the compromise of the Osun Police Command, we are left with no option but to call on all lovers of democracy to come to our aid and defend our rights to make democratic choices without hindrance,” the statement concluded.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Osun State Police Command nor the All Progressives Congress (APC) had issued an official response to the allegations.