The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of sponsoring thugs to attack its members.
In a statement dated February 6, 2025, signed by the Osun PDP Chairman, Sunday Bisi, the party urged the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and the State Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Umar Abba, to dismiss the APC’s tactics of evading accountability for the violent acts against PDP members.
According to the state’s ruling party, the APC is using deceit to manipulate the Police authorities, aiming to undermine the democratic process in the state.
The PDP condemned the APC for its role in the violence inflicted on its members in Ilesa on Wednesday, labelling the party’s actions as a despicable attempt to portray themselves as victims.
Bisi criticized the APC for spreading falsehoods regarding the Ilesa incident, asserting that the Police, equipped with the facts, are already taking necessary measures.
He remarked that the media statements from Kola Olabisi serve as a testament to the adage that “only the guilty are afraid.
In contrast to the claims made by Olabisi, Bisi clarified that the PDP organized a rally in Ilesa on Wednesday, while the APC held its rally the day before.
He stressed that the PDP took precautions to ensure its members did not attend the APC event, prioritizing the town’s peace.
But to our greatest shock, APC thugs led by Mr. Tobiloba Famurewa invaded the PDP rally on Wednesday, unleashing violence that disrupted the rally and made our members to disperse in different directions in search for safety. This was against the commitment Mr. Famurewa made before the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for Ilesa West on the morning of Wednesday in the presence of our candidate, Hon. Ditti Aluko, as part of effort to forestall violence and ensure peace.
Other assailants, believed to be APC thugs who invaded the PDP rally with Mr. Famurewa, and attacked our members, leaving two of them, Owopetu Zachariah and Chibuzoh Alex, critically injured from matchets cut, are Ojo Agboola, Sesan Alaafin, Rasheed Saheed, Ali Dodo, E-money, Nafisal Omole, Awe Mayowa (Apase), Sola aka Solebo, Ali Crosser, Tope Alajue, Sodiq Ogundare.
Despite the provocation of the attack, our party through candidate, Hon. Aluko refused to take laws into our hands and immediately reported the matter to the DPO, who was obviously displeased by the action of Mr. Famurewa and his hired thugs. We went to this great length to explain the timeline of events to show that the APC was the aggressor and should be treated as such, not the victim it is trying to present to the Police authorities and the public.
It is important to note the consistent effort of the APC to manipulate people into believing it is a victim, whereas, it is the main actor of violence in the Osun political environment and serious efforts should be made to bring it to account. While it continues to bandy lies about PDP killing non-existent member, the truth, which we will want to reiterate is that, it was the APC thugs that killed PDP members in the build-up to the 2022 and 2023 elections,” the statement reads.
Revealing the identity of victims of the said attack, Bisi said: “Unlike them, PDP members killed by APC thugs have names, faces and families who still miss them till today. Rafiu Quadri Abiodun from Ilosi, and Elijah Baba Ewe from Ayinrin are PDP members shot dead in the open by assailants believed to be APC thugs in Ilesa in the buildup to the 2023 elections. Gbenga Femi from Olorunsogo was only fortunate to survive the brutal attack that was captured in a viral video that could still be assessed on the internet, but the injury sustained will definitely be lifelong.
Identity of those receiving treatment at the hospital
In the build up to the March 18 House of Assembly election, Wole, a vulcanizer by profession, who is a member of the PDP in Ifetedo, was brazenly killed by suspected APC thugs while on the day of election, the APC Organizing Secretary in the state, Rashidi Adeniji, reportedly shot Gani Gele, a PDP member to death in Ila local. These are just a few of the examples of the numerous violent acts inflicted on PDP members in Osun by APC thugs.
Bisi urged the Police to resist the manipulative tactics of the Osun APC, which aim to obscure its serious offences and disrupt the forthcoming local government elections in Osun state through violence.
He emphasized that the PDP advocates for peace and will back any initiatives that promote a tranquil environment for the February 22 election.
According to Bisi, it is widely recognized that the APC is ill-prepared for the upcoming local elections and may resort to any means necessary to undermine the process.
He stressed that following the APC’s unsuccessful attempts in the courts, there are concerns that the opposition party might resort to violence to prevent the elections from taking place or to tarnish the integrity of the electoral process.
The recent incident in Ilesa serves as a clear indication of this threat, and we trust that security forces, including the Police, will take a firm stance against those anti-democratic elements that thrive on deceit and chaos, the PDP chieftain stressed.
