Barely one week to the August 15 Osun governorship election, the political atmosphere in the State has become even more charged, with the government accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) of plotting to deploy “federal might” to influence the outcome of the poll.
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The allegation was made by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, during an interview on Arise Television, where he accused the APC and federal security agencies of working together to intimidate political opponents and tilt the electoral contest in favour of the opposition.
Governor Ademola Adeleke is seeking re-election under the Accord Party, while the APC has fielded Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO) in what has become one of Nigeria’s fiercest off-cycle governorship contests.
Reacting to comments made by an APC representative during the television programme, Alimi said he was shocked by what he described as “false propaganda” against the Adeleke administration.
“When I watched that clip, I was surprised that somebody could come on national television and make such huge propaganda. It shows these people are not ready to repent,” Alimi said.
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He faulted the APC’s claim that Governor Adeleke had failed in office, insisting that the administration’s achievements in infrastructure, workers’ welfare, healthcare, education, and social development had earned widespread public support across the State.
Alimi alleged that the APC was relying on federal institutions rather than the electorate to secure victory in the August 15 governorship election.
According to him, the ruling party at the centre had continued to boast about using “federal might” to overpower Osun.
“They are ready at every opportunity to brag with their federal might and they are still saying it up to this moment that they will use federal might to overpower the state,” he alleged.
He further claimed that the Nigerian Police Force was no longer acting impartially in the build-up to the election.
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“As of today, everybody knows that it is the federal government that is controlling the police,” he said.
The commissioner dismissed allegations that members of the Accord Party were responsible for political violence, arguing instead that several supporters of Governor Adeleke had been killed while those allegedly responsible remained free.
He cited the killing of Taiwo Yebamiji in Iragbiji, claiming that a court had already issued a warrant for the arrest of a suspect who had yet to be apprehended.
Alimi also referred to the killing of another party supporter, identified as Robiu, alleging that the deceased’s widow had publicly narrated the incident and identified those allegedly involved.
He further mentioned the killing of the son of the Accord women’s leader in Ikire and the death of a 14-year-old boy in Ilobu, alleging that the attackers operated in an APC-branded vehicle.