The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State has expressed concern over an alleged campaign of violence being launched against its members there.
The All Progressives Congress state branch is allegedly responsible for the violence against state citizens, according to the party (APC).
Akindele Adekunle, the interim party leader in the state, said in a statement that the party had to issue a warning following the most recent attack on PDP member Wasiu Adeleke on Saturday afternoon in Ila local government.
According to the statement, “The assailants, who are sponsored by Obawale Adewale, the APC House of Representatives candidate for Ila/Boluwaduro/Ifedayo and Lateef Adebisi Jayeola, the APC candidate for Ila State Constituency, swooped on armless member at the dead of the night, inflicting on him serious injuries.
“This attack, as with those before it, was part of a calculated plot to intimidate and scare our members and supporters ahead of the conduct of the general election. The APC are afraid of the resolve of Osun people at the poll, and want to deploy violence to make it impossible for voters to come out and exercise their franchise.
“Such is the level of desperation of the APC whose record of misrule has caused them enormous disinterest and undisguised disaffection by Nigerians . But we must warn that there is limit to how much of this barbarity Osun people can take, and will resist this attempt to cow them.”
The party also charged the Police and other security agencies in the state to be alive to their responsibilities in ensuring the safety of its members and Osun people as a whole.
“By now and with all the warmings by our great party, it is expected that security agencies would have risen up to their responsibility and go after the hoodlums imported into the state by the APC.
“Failure of the security agencies to track and apprehend criminals terrorising Osun people, particularly PDP members in the guise of election, will be devastating for the peace of the state as people will be forced to defend themselves from these mindless attacks. This is not something anyone will want and for that, the security agencies in the state should tame APC thugs.”
The party also called on residents to be at alert and stay alive to the security of their immediate community.
Reacting, the Osun APC Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, explained that the Osun PDP is judging others by their own standard.
While describing Obawale Adewale as a gentleman, Olabisi added that those scripting the allegation of sponsorship of violence against the former commissioner in the state were doing so for ulterior motives.
“That one Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) political thug called Sarafa Awotunde a.k.a. ‘Spain’ in Ikirun area of Osun State, was boasting and making a confession for the series of attacks against the All Progressives Congress APC members in the state is an exposition of the PDP and the sacked state Governor Ademola Adeleke that they have been sponsoring the series of attacks against our members.
“The confession and threat of attacks on the APC members is a vindication of our party that has been accusing Adeleke/PDP of being behind the violent activities that have been the usual occurrences in Osun State since the inauguration of the embattled Governor Adeleke as the state governor.
“There have been reported incidents of attacks of our members in Ede, Ifetedo, Ile-Ife, Osogbo, Ilesa, Ila-Orangun, Ikire, Apomu and other towns and villages in the state. The most pathetic and strange thing is that the state police commissioner has been looking away while our members are been unjustifiably killed and needlessly attacked.”
