The All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign council for the Osun governorship election has called for the arrest of the suspected assailants who allegedly killed Oladele Ayegbo, the nephew of the council’s Director-General, Oluwole Oke. Addressing journalists in Osogbo on Thursday, the Head of Media and Publicity of the council, Remi Omowaiye, said the party had lost about 40 members to extrajudicial killings in different parts of the state in recent weeks. Omowaiye, who chronicled a series of killings involving APC members that occurred recently, said some suspected hoodlums working for the Accord Party also attacked members of the party in Alarere village in the early hours of Thursday. “Yesterday, (Wednesday) the nephew of the Director-General of our campaign council, Honourable Oluwole Oke, Ayegbo Oladale and Taiwo Oluwadele were shot around Honourable Oluwole Oke’s family compound in Esa-Oke. So This Happened (EP 258) Reviews NNPC’s… “Unfortunately, we lost Ayegbo Oluwadele while Taiwo is still in a very critical condition. Just this morning again, an associate of Honourable Sanya Omirin and three others were attacked. They were shot. “Those shots were Adebayo Dada’s own was severe. All members of the APC at Atakumasa East were shot at. Others were Idowu Laide, Ebuka Emmanuel, Adebiyi Ebenezer. They were APC members. They were shot at Alarere,” Omowaiye said. He accused the governor, Ademola Adeleke, of playing the victim’s card, adding, “As I speak, we have lost about 40 of our members, and nothing has been done to stop this.” He continued, “A few days ago in Ilesha, it was alleged that one of the prisoners released by the government was responsible for the killing in Ilesha. “We were preparing for a rally. There was supposed to be a final rally in Ijesa South, and five people were shot. Four of them died, while one is in critical condition at the Teaching Hospital. One of them is still in the ICU. “And what was their offence? They were putting on APC caps. Well, one thing we want him to know is that he cannot escape the law, and the wrath of God will come upon Governor Adeleke for killing our people.” Reacting to the allegations in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Thursday, Osun Accord Party spokesperson, Oladele Bamiji, dismissed the APC’s allegations and told the party to look for the perpetrators of the crime within its fold. Bamiji said, “Our party is peaceful. We have been conducting our campaigns peacefully. There is nothing to warrant all these killings. “This happened not long after a chieftain of the APC in the state declared war on Accord Party members. We urge the police to do their job and fish out the perpetrators.” Also, the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, in a statement obtained in Osogbo, condemned the killing in Esa-Oke and the subsequent destruction of properties. He condoled with the families of the victims and other victims of recent political violence across the state, saying he had directed security agencies to intensify surveillance and security operations in Esa-Oke and its environs, while ordering the police to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure that the perpetrators were apprehended and brought to justice. Adeleke described the incident as an unfortunate consequence of reckless political incitement, urging political leaders and their supporters across Ijeshaland and Osun State to refrain from actions and utterances capable of triggering violence. “We all have families and friends. We should not preach violence. Senator Fadahunsi issued killing directive; the next day, somebody was killed at Esa-Oke, his own zone,” the governor said. He also commiserated with the families of the more than 15 Accord members reportedly killed so far, as well as those whose homes were raided, vandalised or whose members were allegedly illegally arrested in Ikire. “Aside Esa-Oke, over 20 homes of Accord members were raided last night at Ikire. Some were illegally arrested while houses of others were vandalised. This is not politics again. “I challenge our opponents to let us fight through the ballot. Since we are practising democracy, we must allow our people to vote. My strength and that of my party is God and the people. We are winning on Saturday,” the governor said. He urged the people of Esa-Oke, Ijeshaland and Osun State to resist the temptation of attacks and counter-attacks, stressing that the forthcoming election must be conducted peacefully and that every voter must be allowed to freely cast their ballot.
