APC, Osun Govt trade words over alleged plot to murder Gov. Adeleke

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

Osun State Government has raised alarm that a former Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, is plotting the murder of the State Governor, Ademola Adeleke ahead of the 2026 Governorship election in the state.

A statement by the State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, alleged that Oyedokun, who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), had threatened Adeleke from contesting the forthcoming poll “if he (Adeleke) doesn’t want an act of murder to be carried out.”

Alimi, who stated that Oyedokun made the utterance while speaking on a radio programme in Osogbo on Monday, said that Oyedokun, “advised Governor Adeleke not to, by any means, contest for a second term in Osun State, if he doesn’t want an act of murder to be carried out and be hanged on the governor and the highly respected Adeleke family of Ede where the governor hails from.”

He accused the octogenarian politician of not only inciting members of the public against the governor, but the highest form of desperation from Oyedokun and the entire Osun APC he defected to recently.

Then Commissioner said, “As a government, we view Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun’s utterances throughout the duration of the Oro Oselu radio programme of Monday, 20th of May, 2024 as totally incongruous, callous, dirty, unwarranted and nauseating to say the least.

“Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun’s comments, were not just within the boundaries of exercising his fundamental human rights of freedom of speech, they are at best morally awkward, debasing and a threat cum invitation for mayhem.

“Conclusively, as a government, we are of the view that, whatever happens, bordering on the security of lives and property of the people of Osun State, before, during and after the coming governorship election or any other election in our dear state, the likes of Oyedokun and APC members should be held accountable.”

Alimi, then called on President Bola Tinubu, the Inspector General of Police and other stakeholders in Nigeria to urgently summon Oyedokun for questioning over his comment.

“We call for an immediate summon and eventual questioning of Oyedokun, by the law enforcement agencies to explain why the right of Governor Adeleke to contest for a second term should warrant shedding of innocent blood and hanging it on the neck of the governor and his family.

“The security agencies need to unravel what plots or scheming bordering on criminality Pa Oyedokun is privy to or hatching alone or in partnership with his new party. This is necessary to forestall maturing of a hideous agenda capable of plunging Osun into crisis ahead of 2026 polls,” the statement reiterated.

However, the Osun State chapter of the APC has cautioned Governor Adeleke’s administration to desist from accusing Oyedokun of ploy to cause mayhem in the state.

It warned that nothing untoward must happen to the former National Vice-Chairman of the PDP and ex-member of the party’s Board of Trustees who defected into the APC with fanfare few days ago.

Reacting to the allegation of the State Government that Oyedokun, while featuring on a radio programme in Osogbo, incited members of the public against the State Governor and also wanted to plot the elimination of the Governor ahead of the 2026 Governorship election in the State, Osun APC denied such plans.

The Osun State APC Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, in a statement issued by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, cautioned that nothing untoward should happen to Oyedokun.

Lawal specifically charged the Inspector-General of Police to prevail on the State Commissioner of Police to intensify the absolute security of life and property of Oyedokun whom he said “has now become an imaginary overnight threat to Governor Adeleke and his cohorts simply because the old and experienced politician had just crossed over to the APC from the PDP which is a widely acknowledged nest of killers.”

The State APC Chairman noted that there was nothing suggestive of the desire of Oyedokun to promote or foment violence or crisis in the interview of the political sage in a Yoruba radio programme on Monday.

Lawal disclosed that it was the truth embedded in the context of the interview which was the cause of the perpetual incontinence being experienced by Governor Adeleke and his political co-travellers.

His words: “How on earth would someone who has his thinking faculty intact induce the promotion of crisis or violence to a man whose 90th birthday anniversary is approaching?

“What Baba Oyedokun who is a realist was saying was that Governor Adeleke and his goons should not repeat the slaughtering of the APC members and supporters just the way no fewer than 30 of such APC stakeholders were killed by the PDP thugs in order to rig the last series of elections in the state for Governor Adeleke and all other PDP candidates.

“I know Governor Adeleke has blood running in his veins which must be the reason for him to expressly admit that the victories that himself and other elected political functionaries are flaunting were achieved by stepping on the blood of the innocent members and supporters of the APC.

“Governor Adeleke and his co-travellers should stop ranting and come to terms with the reality that his lack of administrative- know-how has been the bane of his government which will irredeemably see him out of office with ignominy in 2026.

“Though there is a common aphorism that one cannot give what he does not possess, our advice for you as a party is to leave Pa Shuaib Oyedokun alone and face proper governance instead of being a common patron to pubs in Lagos and Abuja where you dance away your time to the detriment of the development of the state,” Lawal cautioned