The All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Media Committee in Osun State has raised the alarm over the alleged mobilisation and movement of political thugs into the Osun State Government House in Osogbo, less than 24 hours to Saturday’s governorship election.
The APC alleged that the suspected thugs were brought into the state from Lagos and were being accommodated by Gov. Ademola Adeleke and members of his team as part of a plan to disrupt the electoral process in areas considered politically sensitive to the party.
The allegation was made on Friday by a member of the APC Campaign Media Committee, Kehinde Ayantunji, who addressed journalists at the Correspondents’ Chapel in Osogbo.
Ayantunji claimed that the party had received intelligence indicating that a large number of suspected political thugs had been moved into the Government House within hours of the election.
He alleged that the group was being coordinated by two individuals identified by the alleged codenames “Olowe” and “Iberu”.
According to him, the suspected thugs had been seen moving in and out of the Government House, while intelligence gathered by the party indicated that many of them were not indigenes or residents of Osun State.
He said the party had also documented some of the vehicles allegedly used to convey the individuals into the Government House.
Ayantunji listed the vehicles as a dark ash Lexus Jeep with registration number KRD 207 IS, a Toyota Corolla with registration number AKD 795 GR, a red Volkswagen Golf with registration number AGL719, and another dark ash Lexus Jeep with registration number KRD 210 KS.
“We are not just raising this alarm; we have double-checked our intelligence, and we have pictorial evidence of what we are saying here this afternoon,” he said.
The APC campaign media committee alleged that the suspected thugs were being mobilised to cause disturbances in parts of Osogbo and Egbedore Local Government Areas, particularly in areas where the party claimed its opponents were facing imminent defeat.
Ayantunji specifically mentioned Ward 5 in Osogbo Local Government, as well as Wards 4 and 8, Okini, Ido-Osun and Ofatedo in Egbedore Local Government, as areas allegedly targeted for disruption.
He claimed that the suspected political thugs had been mobilised with funds and ammunition to destabilise the election and intimidate voters
The APC spokesman said the party decided to make the alleged development public because of the potential consequences for voters, political party agents and other stakeholders participating in the election.
He called on security agencies to immediately investigate the allegation and take appropriate action to prevent any breakdown of law and order before, during and after the poll.
Ayantunji also questioned why, according to the party, security operatives had not intervened despite the alleged presence of the suspected thugs within the Government House.
“We have to inform the members of the public, and we have to call on the security agents that we have been saying this, but it appears that security agencies are helpless,” he said.
The APC campaign media committee further appealed to national and international election observers, security agencies and other stakeholders to closely monitor developments in the state and ensure that voters are allowed to cast their ballots without intimidation or violence.
The party said Governor Adeleke and the Accord Party should be held responsible for any violence or attack on voters or APC members if the alleged mobilisation of thugs resulted in an electoral crisis.
“Therefore, we are telling the international community, the security agents in Nigeria, and all stakeholders that have anything to do with the Osun election, that if anything happens to our members tomorrow, or any electorate, Governor Ademola Adeleke should be held responsible for shielding political thugs in the Government House,” Ayantunji alleged.
The allegations could not be independently verified at the time of filing this report, and there was no immediate response from the Osun State Government or Governor Adeleke to the claims.
The allegations come as Osun residents prepare to elect their governor on Saturday, with political parties and security agencies stepping up preparations for a peaceful conduct of the poll.
The APC urged its members and supporters to remain vigilant but law-abiding, while calling on security agencies to act swiftly on any credible intelligence capable of threatening the integrity and peaceful conduct of the election.