The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has criticized Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, for labeling the Osun APC as aggressors in the ongoing political unrest surrounding local government leadership in the state.
This comes after the Osun APC accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of orchestrating violent attacks that have allegedly resulted in the deaths of ten people across the state.
Governor Makinde was in Osun on Sunday to witness the swearing-in of local government council chairmen and their deputies by Governor Ademola Adeleke. During the event, Makinde urged the Osun APC to avoid turning the state into a “Wild Wild West” and advised the party to seek legal redress instead of resorting to self-help.
However, in a statement signed by Kola Olabisi, Osun APC’s Director of Media and Information, the party described Makinde’s comments as unnecessary and politically motivated.
“If we may ask, where was Governor Makinde when his political ally, Governor Adeleke, incited PDP members to attack our supporters?” the statement read. The APC also pointed to recent violent incidents, including the killing of Hon. Remi Abass, the reinstated APC chairman in Ikire, and other attacks on party members in Ilesa, allegedly carried out by PDP loyalists.
The Osun APC further accused Governor Makinde of turning a blind eye to these incidents while defending his party. The statement also criticized Governor Adeleke for defying legal and security advisories, including one from the Attorney-General of the Federation, against conducting the controversial local government elections.
“Makinde is not in a position to lecture the APC on following due process, especially when he remained silent on the blatant disregard for court judgments and security warnings by his PDP counterpart,” Olabisi added.
The political crisis stems from a recent Court of Appeal judgment reinstating APC-elected local government officials, a ruling that has deepened tensions between the two major parties in Osun State.
Comments