Tinubu-Shettima Campaign: Osun APC, PDP Engage In War Of Words

The Osun State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has revealed alleged clandestine moves by political hoodlums suspected to be loyalists of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to unleash violence before, during and after the Presidential rally of the party scheduled for Thursday, February 2, 2023.

Osun APC also sent a stern warning to the political hoodlums that have been unleashing violence and perpetrating series of attacks on the people of the state, particularly members of the APC, to desist from the heinous acts in the interest of peace and tranquility.

The party made this known during a press conference at the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign Office on Tuesday in Osogbo.

In his address, the Osun APC acting Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, said the party has reliably gathered intelligence as regards the clandestine moves of the PDP leaders to disrupt the APC Presidential Campaign rally slated to hold in Osogbo on Thursday.

It called on the security agencies to come to the aid of its members and do the needful by clamping down on those that have been causing mayhem across the nooks and crannies of the state since the emergence of the PDP- led government in the state.

"Parts of the PDP’s unholy plans to frustrate and truncate the rally is to kit its political hoodlums with branded APC uniforms and face caps with a view to giving false identities to the PDP-sponsored political thugs.

"The embattled Governor Adeleke had instructed his Chief Security Officer (CSO), CSP Omoyele Adekunle, to import fake security operatives who would be in hoods while perpetrating violence across the State.

“We also observed that embattled Governor Adeleke’s security guards are always hooded and we have credible evidence that the majority of the hooded security guards are political hoodlums that the governor is using for extra-judicial killings and attacks of the opposition members across the state.

“We also discovered through our painstaking efforts that the controversial Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the governor, one Chief Superintendent of Police Omoyele Adekunle (the leader of the Killer Squad) has been the one giving instructions and protection to the hooded political thugs."

The party also revealed that police and military uniforms have been provided for the PDP thugs to be used on Thursday during their presidential rally.

The spokesperson of Osun APC Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Remi Omowaiye while lamenting the continued attacks on APC members in the state called on security operatives to unravel those behind the attacks.

Omowaiye also assured that APC members would continue to maintain peace and remain orderly regardless of internal or external intimidations from any quarters.

The names of the perceived hoodlums and political thugs according to the APC are Olalekan Ajagungbade aka ‘Emir’ (Osogbo LGA); Sikiru Oyeniyi aka ‘Ado Igbonna’ (Olorunda LGA); Solomon Adefioye Adedimeji aka ‘Solo Iwara’ (Atakumosa); Wakeel Nurudeen aka ‘Alowonle’ (Osogbo LGA); Bode Olakayode aka ‘Bode Itaapa’ (Atakumosa); Ibukun Fadipe aka ‘IBK’ (Ilesa); Ibrahim Gbadamosi aka ‘Gbedu’ (Boripe LGA); Sanya Omirin (Ilesa); and Akogun Lere Oyewumi (Irewole LGA). Others are Clement Akanni aka ‘Olorunwa’ (Ila LGA); Wakeel Dokky (Ede); Yemi Aleba (Ede); Kareem Oladeji Aflao (Ede); Taye Trouble (Ede); Baba Ibeji Thunder (Ede); and Sekere Olota (Ede) and Oriade OPC (Ede)."

Responding, the Osun PDP through a statement by Akindele Adekunle, its caretaker chairman described the APC allegations that it is planning to attack the Tinubu's rally in Osogbo as ridiculous and baseless.

"We find APC and its Osun team as a bunch of illegitimate pretenders to power who daily suffer from delusional disorder and political instability.

"Having been rejected by the people, they see ghost of their misadventure in power and endlessly chase shadow, leveling baseless allegations against credible leaders of the society who have distinguished themselves in various fields of human endeavour."

The Osun PDP also reminded the APC that it is not a party which glorified political thugs and maintained that it does not have sinister agenda to disrupt any political rallies.

"We therefore have little to worry about as to our winning the next month's election. Osun people are solidly behind the PDP.

"It is the APC that has a lot of pain caused by peoples' rejection of Kangaroo judgement of last week.

"That judgement has finally changed the beat. Osun is for Atiku/Okowa.

"We therefore need no hooded thugs as we have none.

"What we have is the people and they will use their votes to reject APC and Tinubu come February 25th," the statement concluded.