Osun APC, PDP Bicker Over Police Deployment

The Osun chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have disagreed over the alleged redeployment of Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) across the state.

The Osun APC also asked the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba to caution Patrick Kehinde Longe, the Osun Commissioner of Police from becoming a tool of the state government to gag the opposition from operating in the state.

The APC in a statement by its Acting Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal on Sunday, alleged that the Longe had after meeting with the PDP leadership concluded plans to redeploy Divisional Police Officers across the state with a view to imposing compromised ones to deal with APC members ahead of the general elections next month.

Lawal added that the CP has agreed to help the ruling party by muzzling opposition voices in the state through massive arrests using DPOs that will be deployed any moment from Monday.

Meanwhile, the Osun State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has chided the Osun APC for its blackmail against it and security agencies.

The party maintained that it has nothing to do with internal operations of the Nigeria police.

The PDP in a reaction by its State Chairman, Dr Adekunle Akindele, accused the APC of levelling baseless allegations, refuting allegations that a family member of the state governor or the PDP as a party is dictating the redeployment exercise.

Akindele outlined that the police has its operational codes which PDP has no power to influence, wondering how PDP can control a police service under the control of the Federal Government.

Positing that police normally redeploy officers during election period, the PDP corrected the misinformation from the APC even as it alleged that the APC is already afraid of eventual defeat at the February elections.

However, the police spokesperson in the state, Yemisi Opalola described the allegation as baseless and lacking any substance.

She explained that she is not aware of any plot to arrest opposition party members nor the massive transfer of DPOs across the state.

"The CP is focused on maintenance of law and order across the state,” she added.