The campaign councils of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke on Monday exchanged accusations over alleged criminality and security concerns ahead of the 15 August governorship election.
The APC campaign council alleged that Governor Adeleke had secretly used his prerogative of mercy to secure the release of convicted criminals to foment violence during the election. However, the Imole Campaign Council dismissed the allegation as false, insisting that the governor had not exercised the constitutional power of pardon in the past two years.
Addressing journalists, the Director-General of the APC Campaign Council in Osun Central, Mr Adebayo Adeleke, alleged that several inmates, including persons accused or convicted of serious offences, had been released from prison within the past eight weeks through the governor’s intervention.
He claimed that some of those released had subsequently been linked to violent attacks and called on Governor Adeleke to explain the circumstances surrounding their release.
The APC campaign council also alleged that it had received intelligence suggesting that some of its members were being targeted for attacks ahead of the election. It further accused members of the Accord Party of plotting violence with the support of personnel of the Osun Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun.
Responding to the allegations, the Deputy Director-General of the Imole Campaign Council, Kolapo Alimi, described the claims as baseless and politically motivated.
Alimi maintained that Governor Adeleke had not exercised his prerogative of mercy since assuming office, adding that the APC campaign council had failed to provide credible evidence to support its allegations.
Meanwhile, the Imole Campaign Council called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to reassure residents of Osun State of a peaceful and credible governorship election.
In a statement issued by its spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi, the council expressed concern over the continued deployment of the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, alleging that his actions had resulted in harassment, arbitrary arrests and intimidation of Accord Party leaders and supporters.
The council claimed that Gotan had initially been transferred from the state following public criticism over the arrest and detention of the Secretary to the Osun State Government, Teslim Igbalaye, but was later reinstated after alleged pressure from the APC.
According to the statement, another commissioner, Samuel Etaifo, had briefly been assigned to the state before the Inspector-General of Police reportedly directed that Gotan should remain in charge while Etaifo would oversee election duties.
The Imole Campaign Council urged the police leadership to ensure neutrality and professionalism before, during and after the election, warning that any perception of partisanship could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
It also called on the Inspector-General of Police to publicly assure residents that adequate measures would be taken to guarantee a peaceful, free and fair governorship election on 15 August.
Neither the Osun State Government nor the Nigeria Police Force had publicly responded to the latest allegations at the time of filing this report.
