Threats of Violence, Vote Buying Trail Osun Governorship Campaigns
Ten days to the governorship election in Osun state, the contest is gradually narrowing down to a two-horse race between the incumbent All Progressive Congress and the Peoples’ Democratic Party...
Ten days to the governorship election in Osun state, the contest is gradually narrowing down to a two-horse race between the incumbent All Progressive Congress and the Peoples’ Democratic Party amidst growing tension and threat of violence and allegations of vote trading across the political divides.
But the Independent National Electoral Commission is busy dotting its ‘i’s and crossing its ‘t’s to ensure the delivery of a hitch free election where its equipment will function optimally and its personnel’s’ conduct like Caesar’s wife be above all suspicions.
Osun voters’ register has a total of 1,955,657 voters for the July 16 Osun governorship poll but INEC has distributed only 1,443,969 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) so far, though the exercise is continuing. There are about 511,688 PVCs yet to be collected. There are 30 local governments and had 3,010 polling units and 753 polling units. These are figures significantly more than what obtained in the 2018 governorship election.
The political parties have embarked on a dog eat dog campaign, deploying similar text book strategies of attack being the best form of defense. They have both girded their loins and none wants to be caught off guards. This has led to leveling of allegations of bad conduct and intensions and counter allegations.
The PDP appears to be more on the offensive and has insinuated and alleged frontally that the APC plans to rig the election in collusion with the INEC. In one of such allegations the PDP said: “The Security agencies in Osun State are hereby alerted that some prominent leaders of Apc are right now at the Local Government Service Commission, Abere, Osogbo, collecting PVC of civil servants and taking down the VIN numbers and other details on the cards apparently for the purpose of compromising the cards to rig the July 16 governorship election.
While APC are warned to be very careful with their desperation to rig the July 16 Election, security agencies are implored to act on this information and effect immediate arrest of these criminal elements to underscore their readiness to allow for a free and fair Governorship Election in Osun State”.
The APC on the other hand had waved off the allegations as panic measure from the PDP camp. The APC argues that it will win the governorship election fair and square based on the governor’s performance in the last three and half years. Amongst Oyetola’s successes is the regular payment of workers’ salaries and pension.
Season of Petitions
Since the campaigns started, there has been a floodgate of petitions of wrong doings or destruction of opponent’s properties such as billboards. Some PDP stalwarts have also been arrested in the process and failure of the Police authorities to investigate and bring offenders to book has led to allegations of bias against the Police.
Osun Court Remands Seven for Defacing APC Billboards
An Osogbo Chief Magistrate Court, on Tuesday, remanded seven suspected members of a cult group for defacing some campaign billboards belonging to the All Progressives Congress in Osogbo. The defendants, Azeez Abibu, 29, Musbau Nurudeen, 23, Wasiu Sodiq, 28, Ganiyu Lekan, 27, Azeez Sikiru, 26, Soliu Mohammed, 20, and Ibrahim Mohammed, 21, appeared before the magistrate, Mr Olusola Aluko.
They were charged on 15 counts bordering on conspiracy, malicious damage, conduct likely to cause breach of peace, unlawful shooting, among others, according to the prosecutor, Elisha Olusegun, the suspects belonged to ‘Aye’ confraternity.
The prosecutor said they, and others at large bearing dangerous weapons, committed the offence on June 18, 2022, when they damaged some billboards belonging to the APC in Osogbo. He said the offences were contrary to, and punishable under, Sections 516, 70, 64(a), 517, 451, 249(d), 517 and 80 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the 15 counts pressed against them. In his ruling, the presiding magistrate, Aluko, remanded the defendants in Ilesa Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter till August 1, 2022, for hearing.
But questions are being asked about the lack of arrest of persons responsible for destroying PDP billboards. This has led to a deluge of petitions against the police with allegations of being partial.
Redeployment of Commissioner of Police
The Osun state Police Commissioner Olawale Olokode was caught in the middle of tango and his recent transfer out of the State was seen as a relief to the opposition PDP whose members celebrated the CP’s exit from the state. It’s like a pyrrhic victory.
The euphoria and celebration had hardly died down when the Force headquarters issued issued a statement that the CP was just temporarily moved to the Force Headquarters pending the conclusion of the governorship election when he would return to the State.
The Police according to a statement by Muyiwa Adejobi, Force PRO said “we want to be as transparent, professional and proactive as possible in all our engagements and operations in the Osun Gubernatorial Election, hence the deployment of senior officers from the FHQ to oversee the election security in the state. The IGP has ordered necessary deployment both human and material assets to fortify the state for the exercise”
Violence at the Palace of Ataoja of Osogbo
On his way to the Palace on Tuesday to pay homage to the traditional ruler as part of his routine when campaigning in any local government, the PDP candidate Senator Ademola Adeleke alleged that some of his members on his entourage were attacked with machetes and beaten up.
This allegation infuriated the traditional ruler and made him to rain curses on the culprits. In his annoyance he reminded his audience that he was appointed and enthroned during PDP’s era. This is being interpreted by the ruling party as partisanship that the traditional ruler is a member of the PDP. The director General of Oyetola’s campaign organization Senator Ajibola Bashiru said the traditional ruler should have listened to all sides of the story before passing a verdict.
The PDP Reacts: Stop Threatening Traditional Rulers
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun state has flayed Governor Gboyega Oyetola for using coercion and threat of dethronement against traditional rulers in a bid to force endorsement for his re-election bid.
In a statement issued by the party following violent attacks at the palace of the paramount ruler of Osogbo, the PDP described as reprehensible such display of thuggery and violence unleashed in a bid to stop the PDP candidate from visiting the traditional ruler.
“The Governor and his agents have been attacking PDP members and bill boards. We did not retaliate because of our commitment to peaceful election. We have alerted security agencies on this ugly trend as we seek that the police should be neutral and supportive of law and order during rhis election.
“The APC has moved from attacking PDP members and bill boards to this unwarranted attack on the palace of the revered monarch which is a sacrilegious intrusion by Oyetola’s men; an insult on the entire people of Osogbo and a gross disrespect for traditional institutions and values of Yorubaland.
“Instead of apologising to the traditional ruler for his orchestrated assault on Osogbo traditional institutions, the Governor’s henchmen have been threatening fire and brimstone with some of them calling for dethronement of the the traditional ruler. This is simply an abuse of power and further testimony of the low status Oyetola accords traditional rulers in his government.” the PDP Caretaker Committee Chairman Dr. Akindele Adekunle said.
APC Counter Accuses PDP of Violence
“We are constrained to once again alert the good people of Osun, at home and in the diaspora, the general public, and the international community, to the unfolding unsavoury developments in our dear State, orchestrated by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
“As a responsible and peace-loving party, we have consistently reiterated and acted in accordance with our commitment to a peaceful, credible and transparent electoral process. This is clearly evident by how we have been conducting ourselves and our supporters since the campaigns began. But on the contrary, the PDP, continue to show that they are not interested in and ready for a violence-free election.
“For instance, Sanya Omirin, a House of Representatives candidate on the platform of the PDP publicly boasted that he would deploy bombs and grenades on election day against our supporters. About a week later, PDP Osun West senatorial candidate, Lere Oyewumi was seen and heard in a video that went viral charging PDP members to use stones, sticks, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons against the APC and its supporters on election day.
“It is however, surprising that since that day, security operatives in the State are yet to take any concrete action on the allegations we raised. In fact, none of the perpetrators has been invited for questioning. This silence and inaction have emboldened the PDP and its agents to embark on further unprovoked attacks on our members and supporters across the State.
“In different parts of the State, our members and supporters are harassed and attacked on a daily basis by PDP thugs, in clear demonstration of the party’s unprecedented political desperation.
“Sadly, they are not only attacking our members, but also descending on security operatives. Just yesterday, a group of masked PDP hoodlums attacked some personnel of the Amotekun Corps at their office in Isale-Osun, Osogbo. The thugs, who reportedly came with a branded PDP Sienna vehicle, wielded guns, cutlasses and inflicted injuries on the Amotekun personnel.
“It is, therefore, a blatant falsehood to claim that there was an attack at the palace of Ataoja. There was nothing of such. As a matter of fact, it was the PDP that attacked Bolaji Jimoh, a Caretaker chairman of Osogbo South LCDA. The attack forced her to run for her dear life to seek refuge in the office of Amotekun. The PDP thugs followed her there and in the process attacked Amotekun office. It was unfortunate that our revered Ataoja reacted on the situation without investigation. He allowed himself to be misused by the PDP”. A statement by Senator Ajibola Bashiru, the DG oyetola Campaign Organisation said.
Race Too Close to Call
The Osun state governorship election is too close to call between the incumbent APC government and the main challenger the PDP. There is no gain saying that the two sides are desperately in search of a winning formula that could turn the tables and turn a slim margin into a landslide. Is it going to be a tall story for the PDP? Or will the status quo be maintained and the incumbent given the mandate for another four years? All eyes are on Osun.
