Osun APC, Accord disagree over Adeleke’s remarks on killings

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The Osun State All Progressives Congress Governorship Campaign Council on Tuesday described a statement credited to Governor Ademola Adeleke regarding the killings in the state as ‘reckless, inflammatory and seditious.’

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The APC, in a statement by the Director General of its Governorship Campaign Council, Wole Oke, obtained in Osogbo, chided Adeleke for threatening that “A repeat of the 1983 political crisis would be visited on Osun State should he lose the August 15 governorship election.”

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But the Imole Campaign Council, the group leading Adeleke’s reelection campaign, said the governor’s statement was misinterpreted and falsified, insisting that his clarion call on President Bola Tinubu was to ensure free and fair elections in Osun State.

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The Accord Campaign Council denied accusations that the governor attacked the president in a statement signed by the
nDirector General, Lere Oyewumi.

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It said Adeleke only called the attention of the President to the “ongoing repression and intimidation of Osun residents and urged the President to call the Marine Minister, Gboyega Oyetola, to order so as to stop recurrence of political violence of the past.”

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The council also said Adeleke made other disparaging and unfounded allegations against the President, including an untrue claim that Tinubu was withholding the federal allocations due to the 30 local government areas in Osun State.

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“These statements are false, distasteful, irresponsible and completely unsubstantiated. They are nothing but a manifestation of the frustration that has enveloped the outgoing governor as the reality of an impending electoral defeat continues to stare him in the face,” it said.

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“Governor Adeleke’s attempt to blackmail the President and paint him as an enemy of Osun people is another desperate strategy to demonise a genuine democrat whose commitment to constitutional governance and the rule of law is well established,” the statement read partly.

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The council explained that the recognised local government administration in the state has been receiving the statutory federal allocations due to it every month, noting that it was incorrect and misleading for Adeleke to accuse Tinubu of withholding Osun LG allocations.

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“Such falsehood is aimed solely at misleading the public and tarnishing the impeccable democratic credentials of the President.

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“It is rather ironic that Governor Adeleke now seeks to portray himself as a victim of political intimidation when, since 2022, no fewer than 30 members and supporters of the APC have been killed by the Accord Party thugs believed to be sponsored by his administration, with at least 10 of those deaths occurring in recent times,” the statement read.

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The party said, “Rather than distracting the public from discussing his lacklustre administration and issuing veiled and direct threats against the President and attempting to heat up the polity, Adeleke should prepare to accept the verdict of the electorate with maturity and dignity.

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“The people of Osun have made up their minds to embrace a new era of responsible, transparent and people-oriented leadership under the All Progressives Congress and its candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO). No amount of inflammatory rhetoric or desperate propaganda can alter the democratic will of the people.”

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However, while commenting further in its rebuttal against APC, the Imole Campaign Council restated the governor’s passionate pleading to Mr President to wade in as the father of all to stop the killings and maiming of residents and Accord members, affirming that “at no point did the governor attack or deride the president.

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“Governor Adeleke only called the attention of President Tinubu to the ongoing repression and intimidation of Osun residents and urged the President to call the Marine Minister, Gboyega Oyetola, to order so as to stop recurrence of political violence of the past.

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“The state governor only informed the president of constant killing that is driving towards genocide. The Accord party has lost seven members, with more than 20 suffering various gun injuries in the last three months. Presently, more than 60 Accord members are languishing in illegal police detentions.

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“In 2022, the governor lost 45 of his supporters in the cold hands of APC thugs. The police did not raise a finger to prosecute suspected APC thugs who killed our members during the 2022 elections. APC thugs are daily raiding towns and houses of Accord leaders. The facts are in the public domain.”

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Oyewumi also said the governor, in his remarks at the event, “Referenced the Osun local government crisis in which over N350 billion of Osun local government funds have been diverted and used by illegal APC operatives whose falsely claimed tenure has also lapsed.”

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The PUNCH earlier reported that Adeleke, while addressing a campaign rally for Olorunda local government area on Tuesday, said extrajudicial killings were occurring in the state and called for Tinubu’s intervention.

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