John Silas
Osun state PDP has accused the All Progressive Congress (APC) of planning to promote a statewide insurgency and fictional security reports to create false security alarm that will support its petition that the Tribunal sittings venue should be moved from Osogbo to Abuja.
Chairman of the state PDP Caretaker Committee, Dr Akindele Adekunle in a statement issued on Saturday that reportedly emanated from the state APC Chairman, Hon Gboyega Famodun ‘a serious breach of state security, an insult on the integrity of the security agencies, an invidious message from the ruling party of intent to destabilize the state and a confirmation that the Osun state government and the state APC are now security risk to be watched closely by the people and security agencies’.
‘The PDP expresses apprehension and utter anger at the unbridled desperation of the state government to plunge Osun state into conflict all in the devilish bid to stop peaceful transfer of power in November. We warn that all the unfounded allegations leveled against PDP by Famodun are clearly the insurgency agenda APC is already implementing starting with attacks on PDP offices, later party officials and what we learn may even involve attempt on the life of the Governor-elect. Before the election, APC leading political thugs in Osun had in videos and social media posts threatened to eliminate PDP leaders. In some areas, top thugs even issued a ‘don’t vote PDP order’.
Across the local governments, APC obviously procured thousands of guns with many armed miscreants in the state. We were all aware that Asiri Eniba and his men were arrested on the eve of the guber election with high calibre guns. Proactive action by security agencies had saved Osun from mayhem openly boosted about by APC leaders. Ever since the conclusion of the election, Osun APC has not hidden its desire to create conflict to deny the realization of the will of the people.
Security agencies have arrested several leading APC thugs while many have been flushed out of their hideouts. Severally, APC has not hidden its affiliation with these agents of darkness that it defended and even referred to as APC Members. Unlike APC, PDP is a peaceful party with a sacred mandate from the people of Osun state. If we did not buy guns before elections, if we did not romance thugs before and during the elections, why should we get involved in such now? We put it to Mr Famodun that reverse psychology cannot veil the evil intent of the APC to make the state ungovernable to justify its petition for the movement of Tribunal sittings venue to Abuja.
Osun people may want to note that the APC had submitted a petition to the President of the Court of Appeal asking that the Tribunal sittings venue in Osogbo be moved to Abuja on the ground of insecurity. Security reports by the security agencies however disputed the claims by the APC, affirming that Osun is peaceful and that there is nothing like threat to safety of lives and property. All the false concocted stories by Famodun is a desperate but failed bid to paint Osun as a state in conflict and conflagration. We affirm as a matter of duty and patriotism that forging security reports to push a political agenda is a reprehensible conduct for which Famodun must be held accountable. In a bid to justify fake reports, Famodun and his team have unveiled plans to destabilize the state. This is unacceptable and must be visited with full wrath of the law’ the party said.
In separate statement, Osun state PDP also accused the APC of plotting to attack Osogbo INEC office to destroy BVAS machines used during the July 16 Governorship election. ‘We have a tip off which we consider to be very credible the APC has perfected plot to burn down the INEC secretariat at Osogbo.
We gather specifically that the target is the strong room where the machines are kept as well as the ICT section of the commission. We are urging the management of INEC to strengthen security protection for the state INEC office.
This threats should not be taken lightly especially after the open declaration of insurgency on the state by Mr Famodun’ the party said. ‘We have credible reports that the APC is working to frustrate further sittings in Osun state to hamper the transparency of reviewing the data on the BVAS machines. As the machines are here in Osun state, verification will be easily handled without logistics constraints and without exposure of the machines to tampering and physical dismemberment.
To effect its plans to manipulate things, APC has concluded that further sittings in Osun be halted especially if the claim of over-voting is to be sustained. As the false claim cannot be sustained without tampering with the BVAS machine, the APC is perfecting plan that will expose the machines to doctoring during movement and relocation. Our reports further showed that Governor Oyetola and his team are eyeing a likely scenario that will directly prevent the electoral commission from actually producing the electoral machines in court.
