Dele Olaosebikan
THE ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State and its arch rival, the All Progressives Congress (APC) have accused each other of an alleged plot to set the state party secretariat of the latter on fire under the guise of the ongoing nationwide #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests.
The APC fired the first salvo via a statement signed by its Chairman, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal. According to the party, it has uncovered a sinister plan by hoodlums loyal to the PDP who are masquerading as protesters in the ongoing national protests tagged #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria to burn down its state party secretariat and the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Secretariat, both in Osogbo, the state capital. The party says it, therefore, alerted the state Police Command and other statutory security services in the state to this development.
in the statement issued by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Chief Kola Olabisi, on Saturday, it disclosed that he has privileged information that some characters in the state PDP are scheming to replicate the magnitude of the violence in Kano in the state through the protest.
Lawal enjoined the statutory security services to be proactive by nipping in the bud the evil plans of the PDP thugs at the prompting of the Chief executive of the state to rock the existing peace in the state by going after the property of the opposition under the guise of protesting.
He stated that his party has every reason to believe that Governor Adeleke is the promoter, financier and mastermind of the protest against the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In Lawal’s words: “We have dependable intelligence information that it was Governor Adeleke who has been arming his men during the protest under the pretext of embarrassing President Tinubu.
“There is a credible intelligence linking the
governor with the sponsorship of the rampage in Osun State as some of his appointees and chieftains of the PDP were visibly captured playing leading roles in the protest in Osogbo on Thursday and Friday.
“If the protest was not sponsored and designed to discredit President Tinubu, why did some of the self-named demonstrators go berserk and pounced on innocent citizens when placards lampooning the kindergarten and purposeless administration of Governor Adeleke were displayed during the procession?
“Why should the professed agitators muffle down the voice of the citizens expressing their disenchantment over the problematic and wicked administration in the state who have failed to use the humongous revenue received by it in almost two years in the saddles to bring the dividend of democracy to them?
“Is that not clear evidence that the alleged protesters are mere mercenaries procured to play dirty politics to shield the fantastic failure of the government in Osun State?
“We enjoin the police to immediately swing into action with a view to protecting the lives and property of the citizenry from the hands of the PDP janjaweed who are all out to turn the state into a needless theatre of war in the name of tarnishing the name of President Tinubu,” the APC leader submitted.
However, the PDP in the state wouldn’t have any such allegations. In its rebuttal endorsed by its state Chairman, Hon Sunday Bisi, the party said contrary to APC claims, the alleged plot was, in fact, an insider job geared towards sabotaging existing peace in the state.
The party, in a statement, said it uncovered the plot on Thursday night and alerted security operatives who deployed personnel to prevent the self-inflicted arson by the disgruntled opposition elements.
According to the ruling party in the state, the opposition operatives were shocked that their evil plots were bursted. Hence the alleged fake news being circulated of purported plans to burn down the APC-related structures.
The party said that despite the foiling of the alleged opposition’s evil plan on Thursday evening, elements within the opposition were still hell-bent on implementing the self-orchestrated attacks and arson to be blamed on the ruling party in the state.
“It is to that end that we urge the Police and the secret service to summon the state APC leaders for interrogation to prevent disruption of peace in Osun State.
“Unless the opposition leaders are promptly interrogated, the state may be exposed to danger from an opposition group that is as violent-minded as to plan to set ablaze its own structures to score political points.
“At this point, the state APC leaders should be aware that security reports on its evil plot have reached Abuja and that her leaders would be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order in Osun State.
“We submit that the opposition is worried that Governor Ademola Adeleke has successfully managed the national protests in Osun State without any untoward incidents. We warn against dark elements within the APC who are seeking blood and destruction to blackmail the state government.
“We must particularly chide the state Chairman of the APC for his cyberstalking and personal attacks on Governor Adeleke, an action that defies morality and constitutes unacceptable infractions.
“We call the attention of the security agencies to the constant cyber stalking and total disrespect for the office of the state governor by the APC state chairman even as we declare our readiness to take appropriate legal action if the infraction and libellous activities continue”, the party leader posited.
While assuring the people of Osun State of peace and stability despite the antics of the APC, Hon Bisi affirmed that the state government is monitoring the protest situation and is determined to ensure Osun retains its position as a peaceful state despite the ongoing national protest.
“Our strategy is working and we will not allow APC to plunge the state into crisis. It is for this reason that we strongly warn opposition elements trying to hijack the protests and destabilise the state to desist as it will be seriously resisted”, the party leader noted.
Eighteen-Eleven Media