The Senior Special Adviser to Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, Comrade Fumisho Babarinde, has accused leaders of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) of sponsoring hoodlums from Lagos and Ondo states to foment crisis in Osun ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
He also alleged that members of the ruling Accord Party were being subjected to intimidation, harassment and violence while the Presidency and the Inspector-General of Police remained silent.
Speaking on Thursday during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun state, Babarinde alleged that opposition figures were deploying intimidation to discourage supporters of Governor Adeleke from participating in the election.
The governor aide alleged that members of the ruling Accord Party were facing systematic intimidation and harassment ahead of the August 15 governorship election, accusing the APC of using state-backed influence to instill fear among supporters. He also expressed disappointment over what he described as the failure of the Presidency and the Inspector-General of Police to intervene despite the rising political tension in the state.
“We are going to make the whole world know that in Osun we are being intimidated and harassed by APC leaders in the state, and the Presidency is looking on. The Inspector-General of Police has not said anything up till this morning,” he said.
He further alleged that the political atmosphere in Osun State has become increasingly volatile ahead of the August 15 governorship election, accusing the opposition of orchestrating violence and intimidation against members of the ruling Accord Party.
“Well, as we all know the last couple of weeks have been very tense. There have been killings that are politically motivated across the state from Irewole local government to Bokun, to Oriade, to Osogbo, to Ilesha. We won’t engage the Osun APC in violence, they are the ones terrorizing us, they are bringing in hoodlums from Lagos, Ondo to come and cause crisis here but we won’t engage them because we have suffered a lot of collateral damages but we pray that we survive” he added.
Babarinde also accused the Osun State Police Command of bias, alleging that security operatives had handled incidents involving the ruling Accord Party unfairly while failing to act with the same level of scrutiny in matters involving the opposition.
He said: “The only area where we have issues is that as of this morning the police has been a bit biased. Biased in the sense that some of the issues ongoing is against accord party”
The governor aide added that the Osun State Police Command had failed to remain impartial in the build-up to the governorship election, claiming that the conduct of the Commissioner of Police had emboldened acts of intimidation and harassment against members of the ruling Accord Party.
“Osun police command is biased, the police are supposed to be fair but Osun police under Ibrahim Gotan, who is from Plateau state, is seeing to the maiming, killing and harassment of our people in Osun state and he has just two years left in service, he’s going to retire one day and with all his action, history will not be kind to him with what he is doing to the people in Osun state He should check himself!” he said.
According to Babarinde, party supporters now fear openly displaying party symbols because of alleged intimidation.
“It has gotten to the point where people can no longer wear yellow caps or party insignia freely in the state without being harassed,” he claimed.
He further alleged that some party billboards had been destroyed and accused political opponents of attempting to create fear among voters ahead of the election.
The governor aide added that the legal challenge against Governor Ademola Adeleke’s participation in the governorship election was being financed by leaders of the opposition APC as part of efforts to eliminate electoral competition.
“It is APC leaders in Osun who are desperate about not wanting Ademola Adeleke to be on the ballot. They don’t want any contest. They are the ones funding it. You know the way these things work now,” he said.
He maintained that Governor Adeleke had consistently directed party supporters to remain peaceful despite the alleged provocations.
“The governor has appealed to our supporters to avoid violence under every circumstance because what some people want is a crisis that will disrupt the election,” he said.
The governor aide disclosed that the state government intended to formally present its grievances to the National Peace Committee during the signing of the peace accord for political parties.
According to him, all incidents involving alleged harassment and intimidation had been documented and would be submitted to the committee for consideration.
“We are arranging press conference, the civil society people have been involved and all things have been documented. And like I said, the peace committee will be here in this state today. And I’m sure all these issues will be tabled before them. So that whatever action that they need us to do at their own level, too, will be done.”
Despite the allegations, Babarinde assured residents that supporters of the Accord Party would not resort to violence.
“We will keep our cool. I can promise you that Osun people are not ready to engage anybody in violence or crisis,” he stated.
Babarinde appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies expected to oversee the election to remain impartial and ensure that voters are protected.
“What we are saying, in essence, is that elections should be free, fair, and credible. Violence-free. We should gather together. Everybody should go back to his or her polling unit to go and vote peacefully on election day and those who are going to monitor the votes should monitor the votes and INEC should be proactive”
He however expressed confidence that despite the current tension, residents would turn out peacefully to vote on election day.
