Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the ruling Accord Party have exchanged accusations over alleged attacks on their members following Saturday’s governorship election.

The APC alleged that supporters of the Accord Party launched attacks on its members and supporters after Governor Ademola Adeleke was declared the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Accord, however, rejected the allegation and accused the opposition party of being responsible for attacks on its own members.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Osun APC Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, condemned what he described as a growing wave of post-election violence allegedly perpetrated by Accord supporters across the state.

Olabisi claimed that incidents of attacks on APC members began shortly after Adeleke was declared the winner of the governorship poll on Sunday.

He also alleged that local government chairmen aligned with the ruling party had moved into various council secretariats despite what he described as their “illegal sit-at-home” status.

The APC spokesperson further alleged that some members of the state executive of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) had used suspected thugs to gain access to motor parks across the state.

The party warned that the alleged attacks could undermine public peace and potentially trigger retaliatory violence if not brought under control.

The APC called on the Osun State Police Command to strengthen security measures and protect its members and supporters from further attacks.

However, Osun State Accord chairman, Victor Akande, dismissed the allegations, insisting that the party was committed to peaceful political engagement.

“Accord is not known for hooliganism,” Akande told journalists when contacted by telephone.

He instead alleged that APC supporters had been behind attacks on Accord members, claiming that the police had also been used to target members of the ruling party before, during and after the election.

According to him, several Accord supporters were allegedly attacked and unlawfully detained.

Akande described the APC’s allegations as propaganda and urged the public to disregard them.

“They are known for their propaganda. They are the ones attacking our members. I didn’t know any of our members attacking their members,” he alleged.

He maintained that Accord was a peace-loving party and attributed Governor Adeleke’s electoral victory to what he described as the overwhelming support of Osun residents.

The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Adewole Adebayo, has questioned the effectiveness of the National Peace Accord ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He said such agreements would have little impact without justice, accountability and respect for democratic principles.

Adebayo spoke with journalists on Tuesday at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, where political parties and candidates signed the peace accord ahead of the elections.

The event was organised by the National Peace Committee, in partnership with the Kukah Centre, to promote peaceful and issue-based campaigns among political actors.

Adebayo, however, argued that similar agreements had been violated during previous elections without consequences, raising doubts about their ability to prevent electoral violence.

“There cannot be anything like peace. How do you expect justice to be done by those who violate the rules?” He queried.

The SDP candidate said the government had a major responsibility to create an environment conducive to peaceful elections, arguing that properly functioning institutions would reduce the need for political actors to rely on peace agreements.

He said adherence to the Constitution, coupled with the independence of institutions such as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and security agencies, would provide a stronger foundation for credible elections.

“If the President can keep to his oath of office and govern the country according to the law, and make sure that all enforcement agencies, INEC, and all the organisations and institutions of government play their role, there will be no need for signing this,” Adebayo said.

He also questioned whether the recently concluded Osun State governorship election represented an improvement in Nigeria’s electoral process, citing reports of deaths during the poll.

Adebayo further criticised the deployment of about 30 commissioners of police to Osun State during the election, arguing that the heavy security presence did not prevent the incidents recorded.

He maintained that Nigeria needed to develop a political system where institutions function effectively and independently, rather than relying on candidates to sign agreements before every election.

Former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose has described the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, as a fantastic man.

Speaking on Tuesday during an interview on TVC’s Politics Tonight, Fayose, however, said there was no hope for Obi in the 2027 general elections.

He highlighted the implications of the splitting of the opposition, stressing that it was the beginning of their problems.

“Peter Obi is a very fantastic Nigerian, but the day he left for the NDC and Atiku Abubakar remained in the African Democratic Congress, ADC, they both lost.

“No hope. That hope was dashed when they went their separate ways. Everybody has seen the hands of Peter Obi in 2023; they are prepared for him now. Everybody has seen Obi’s strategy.

“When the opposition doesn’t come together, they will continue to lose. The All Progressives Congress, APC, took over from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the PDP became an opposition party.

“The almighty Muhammadu Buhari, with a lot of votes, and President Bola Tinubu, with a lot of influence and following, all came together.

“If the current opposition can’t achieve that, this election has come and gone again. I don’t want people to like me,” Fayose said.