Politics
Osun guber: Police raids targeting senior officials — State govt
Osun State Government has accused the Nigeria Police of carrying out coordinated raids on the residences of senior government officials, alleging that the operations amount to intimidation ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the government claimed that the latest operation involved the residence of the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Teslim Igbalaye, where police officers reportedly arrested individuals attending a political meeting.
According to the government, “the ward officials were meeting within the premises of the SSG’s residence while Igbalaye himself was attending the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stakeholders’ forum elsewhere in Osogbo when police officers entered the property.”
Alimi alleged that the operation was led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, adding that members of the SSG’s family were also taken away during the raid.
“The SSG’s residence was bursted by a combined team of police officers led by the Deputy Commissioner for Operations, with family members of the SSG taken to unknown destinations,” the statement said.
The state government further alleged that the operation formed part of a series of similar actions targeting members of the administration, claiming that the residences of about six commissioners and other senior government officials had also been searched by security operatives.
It also claimed that the residence of the Commissioner for Energy, Festus Adeyemo, in Ikire was raided on Tuesday, alleging that officers searched the premises and damaged property during the operation.
According to the government, “several other commissioners had reported surveillance around their homes, while some residences were allegedly entered despite, it claimed, the absence of any unlawful activity.”
The statement alleged that a number of members of the Accord had been detained at the Criminal Investigation Department of the Osun State Police Command without being granted bail following recent security operations.
Describing the development as an attack on democratic institutions, the government said, “These raids on the SSG and our commissioners are an aggravated assault on the government and people of Osun State. This campaign of repression constitutes grave danger to democracy.”
The government also accused the Osun State Police Command of acting in a partisan manner, alleging that the security agency had become “a direct tool in the hands of Osun APC” and was undermining constitutional principles.
It argued that the timing of the operations, which coincided with the visit of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission for election-related engagements, could negatively affect public confidence in the electoral process.
The government appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Service, the National Security Adviser, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and traditional rulers to intervene, urging them to halt what it described as targeted actions against government officials and members of the Accord Party.
“Our governor has consistently tasked the populace to calm down and not to take law into their own hands. The situation is reaching a boiling point. We must save our democracy from these lawless elements within the Nigerian police,” the statement added.
The government’s reaction came after an earlier announcement by the Osun State Police Command confirming the arrest of several suspects, including Secretary to the State Government Teslim Igbalaye, during an operation linked to an investigation into alleged vote buying in Osogbo.
The police’s disclosure was contained in a statement issued by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan.
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A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Kenneth Okonkwo, has said that the imposition of N200 million and N150 million on presidential and governorship campaign billboards in Abia state is a pure handiwork of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Okonkwo made this allegation on Friday when he appeared on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’.
He also accused Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, of allowing himself to be used by the APC to impose such a huge amount on campaign billboards in the state.
“It’s unfortunate that in Nigeria, the ruling party has made it impossible for the opposition to strive. In Abia State, you are hearing a huge amount for you to put up your billboards for N200 million for a presidential candidate.
“Now, multiply N200 million by 36 states, including the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, you would see the perfidy. Just an opportunity to advertise and tell Nigerians what you want to do. APC is a scourge that wants to destroy our democracy.
“I’m surprised that Governor Otti will fall for that. As far I’m concerned, that is an APC agenda using Governor Otti to make it impossible for the opposition political parties to campaign, and it’s really unfortunate,” Okonkwo said.
DAILY POST reports that Abia State Structure for Signage and Advertising Agency, ABSSAA, placed N200 million fees on all 2027 presidential candidates who wish to display their political campaign structures in the state’s advertisement space.
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A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Kenneth Okonkwo, on Friday urged President Bola Tinubu to resign instead of waiting to contest in the 2027 elections.
Okonkwo made the call on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, where spoke on the now overturned Abuja Federal High Court judgment that deregistered the ADC.
He said, “Everything about this judgment is queued towards frustrating the opposition and trying to coronate Tinubu according to the Minister of Aviation and not elect him in 2027 because Tinubu by his performance has gone back to Bourdillion with one flight ticket by 2027.
“Is it in the area of insecurity? I told you when you want to give an example of insecurity, you don’t need to refer to yesterday because it’s a daily occurrence. In Plateau, in Benue people are massacred in their numbers, people are beheaded in Oyo State and they want you to praise them for what they would have prevented.
“Life and the destruction of life is better prevented than cured because when somebody is killed, it’s final. Let me tell you a personal story that pains me, my worker, because most of the things you hear are nothing compared to the actual thing that is going on.
“My worker, they kidnapped the mother in Kaduna State and they were asking them for ransom and when they could not provide the hundreds of millions they were asking for, they broke two fingers of the mother. He is the only child of the mother, you can know the pains that I’m going through seeing these things.
“These ones are not reported, the issue here is that Tinubu should not even allow the election to hold, he should resign and go in peace.”
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A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Salihu Lukman, says he suspended his membership of the party out of frustration.
Lukman made this revelation on Friday when he featured on Arise Television’s ‘Morning Show’.
He emphasised the need for unity among the ADC leaders to tackle the various challenges bedeviling Nigeria as a nation, noting that the focus should be on the country and not the party.
The former Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, said he was ready to rejoin the ADC if it leads to a collective effort to present a credible candidate that can gain Nigerians’ confidence, irrespective of party affiliation.
“I suspended my ADC membership out of frustration. I am not speaking as an ADC member because Nigeria is facing a serious challenge.
“Partisan politics will not get us out of the situation we are in. I am prepared to retain my ADC membership if it helps bring all the party’s leaders together, because Nigeria is bigger than the ADC,” he said.
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