Allegations flew between the All Progressives Congress in Osun State and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party on Friday. The opposition party claimed that thugs associated with the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, were planning to set fire to its state secretariat in Osogbo.
The APC, led by chairman Tajudeen Lawal, issued a statement warning security agencies in the state about potential plots by hoodlums allegedly connected to Adeleke who were pretending to be protesters in the ongoing national protest. They aimed to burn down the party’s secretariat along with Ileri Oluwa House, which had served as the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Secretariat.
Lawal emphasized that the APC had strong reasons to suspect Adeleke’s involvement in the protests against President Bola Tinubu’s administration in the state, revealing, “We have received reliable intelligence suggesting that Governor Adeleke has been equipping his supporters during the protest to supposedly embarrass President Tinubu.”
He asserted, “There is credible intelligence linking the governor to the instigation of chaos in Osun State, as some of his appointees and PDP leaders were prominently involved in leading roles during the protest in Osogbo on Thursday and Friday.”
The APC promptly alerted the state Police Command and other security agencies about the potential dangerous plans by PDP-aligned hoodlums masquerading as protesters in the ongoing national protest. Their aim was to burn down the state party secretariat of the APC and the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Secretariat, both located in Osogbo, the state capital.
In response, Osun PDP chairman, Sunday Bisi, accused the APC of plotting to torch its secretariat and falsely accuse PDP. He disclosed that it was the ruling party that had stationed security personnel at the building after discovering the planned arson.
Bisi’s statement indicated that PDP had uncovered the scheme on Thursday night and had promptly informed security forces, resulting in personnel deployments aimed at preventing self-inflicted arson by disgruntled opposition members.
He urged the police and secret service to interrogate the state APC leaders to prevent any disturbances in Osun State. The urgency to question the opposition leaders stemmed from concerns that the state might be endangered by a group ready to set fire to its own structures for political gain.
Bisi cautioned, “The state APC leadership should be mindful that security reports regarding its sinister plan have reached Abuja, and its leaders will be held accountable for any law and order breakdown in Osun State. We caution against troubling elements within the APC seeking chaos and destruction to undermine the state government.”