Osun Guber: Violence Fears Grow As Accord, APC Talk Tough

…Two Killed, Speaker Attacked In Osun East

…Adeleke Rattled As Accord Faction Endorses APC Candidate

… Tinubu Congratulates APC Candidate On ‘Expected Victory’

…Let Voters, Not Federal Might, Decide Osun Election – Obi

The ruling Accord party and the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday talked tough ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State, despite growing fears that the poll could descend into violence.

The Accord party, at the conclusion of its campaign, issued a series of statements addressing specific allegations of violence and rigging, even as the APC counters with its own accusations of desperation against the ruling party.

The Imole Campaign Council, the Accord party campaign organisation for the reelection of Governor Ademola Adeleke warned that the Senate President must not publicly endorse Senator Francis Fadahunsi at an APC event “despite the serious controversy surrounding his recent statements concerning violence against political opponents,” adding that such a gesture “would send a dangerous message” and could “damage the reputation of the Senate and paint Nigeria in a terrible light before the international community.”

In a statement for the campaign council signed by Pelumi Olajengbesi, it stressed that the Senate President’s office “is not merely a partisan position,” describing it as “one of the highest constitutional offices in Nigeria” that demands “responsibility, accountability and a commitment to the protection of every Nigerian, including the people of Osun State.”

The council in a petition to the National Human Rights Commission called for an independent inquiry into killings and attacks in Esa Oke, insisting that “every life is sacred” and that “no Nigerian should lose his life because of politics.”

It further stated that the continuing violence had “gone beyond partisan disagreement” and had “become a serious human rights and public safety crisis requiring urgent and independent intervention.”

The petition detailed the killing of Ajayi Aderogba, popularly known as “Rogba,” an Accord supporter shot dead in Esa Oke on June 23.

According to the council, Aderogba’s widow, Tolulope, gave an account alleging her husband had been encouraged to meet with Hon. Wole Oke but declined, maintaining “he would not abandon the Accord Party,” before he was attacked and killed.

It urged the Commission to obtain her statement, interview all persons named, and examine police investigation files, stressing that the allegations “should not be left to political accusations and counter accusations.”

Even as campaigns ended in Thursday fears of violence have continued after the Osun East Senatorial District, represented by Fadahunsi, continued to be rocked by unrest following his widely publicised order for Accord party members to be killed.

He gave the order during a rally at the palace of the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland in Ilesa on Tuesday but has denied it, insisting he only told supporters to “kill Accord with votes.”

Police have since questioned him, and he was seen on Wednesday, in videos posted online, insisting there was nothing to the allegation.

Osun East covers ten local government areas across the Ife and Ijesa cultural zones and accounts for the second-highest voting strength in the state after Osun Central, with 823,410 registered voters, representing 35 per cent of the state’s total voting population of 2,339,233.

Any candidate with a strong showing in both Osun East and Osun Central is expected to win Saturday’s poll, raising the political stakes around Fadahunsi’s district.

Two people have also been confirmed dead, including Esa Oke residents Ajayi Aderogba and Dele Ayegbo, while the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, was attacked on Wednesday in Okuku.

Egbedun confirmed the attack in a Facebook post, noting that two suspects arrested had been handed to security agencies.

Olajengbesi described the attacks in Esa Oke as carried out by APC thugs “reportedly on a rampage… attacking Accord members and invading their homes and properties,” insisting every killing “must be thoroughly investigated” and those responsible “brought to justice.”

He also referenced statements attributed to Hon. Wole Oke, alleging he had “reportedly stated publicly that anyone who was not a member of his party should face the consequences of whatever happened to them,” describing such remarks as carrying “dangerous implications.”

He also alleged that four more Accord members were killed on Thursday in Ilesa, within Fadahunsi’s senatorial district, describing the development as no longer politics but a situation where “Osun State has witnessed too many killings today alone.”

He added, “No political ambition is worth the blood of innocent citizens.”

Calling on the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to act, Olajengbesi insisted that “the violence and insane killings must stop,” stressing that “every life matters, regardless of political affiliation.”