By Stephen Gbadamosi, Ibadan
The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation (SSACO) and the campaign group of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) governorship candidate in Oyo State, Bimbo Adekanmbi, have traded accusations over allegations of political violence in the state.
Both sides are calling on security agencies to investigate reported attacks in the South-West state.
While SSACO accused State Governor Seyi Makinde and Adekanmbi of shielding alleged perpetrators of violence within the ruling APM, the Adekanmbi Campaign Organisation dismissed the allegation as unfounded, accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate, Alli, of spreading misinformation.
The exchange followed allegations linking APM supporters to the killing of an APC member, Ridwan Adeyemi, and reported attacks on wife of the APC governorship candidate, Mrs. Tawakalit Alli; Honourable Remi Oseni and Honourable Folake Olunloyo-Oshinowo in Ibadan on 7 October.
According to a statement issued on Sunday, SSACO’s Director of Media and Publicity, Bisi Oladele, faulted Adekanmbi Campaign Organisation for describing its concerns over the incidents as irresponsible and potentially harmful to security efforts.
Oladele said raising concerns about attacks on opposition members was necessary and should not be interpreted as an attempt to undermine security agencies.
He accused the APM of making excuses, rather than addressing allegations of violence, claiming that the party had previously accused APC members of attacking their own candidates and supporters before challenging the APC to provide evidence linking APM members to the incidents.
“We challenge Governor Makinde and Honourable Adekanmbi to stop shielding their attack dogs from facing the law. They should allow security agencies to fish out the killers and attackers within the APM, instead of faulting APC’s cries,” Oladele said.
SSACO further urged political leaders to respect the sanctity of human life and ensure that residents could exercise their political choices without fear of violence.
The organisation also recalled that Makinde won the 2019 governorship election as an opposition candidate in what it described as a peaceful atmosphere.
It maintained that no political ambition was worth the life of any resident of Oyo State, adding that Senator Alli was prepared to offer a governance alternative through his Oyo-AHEAD agenda in the run-up to the 2027 governorship election.
However, the Adekanmbi Campaign Organisation rejected the allegations, describing them as false, irresponsible and capable of escalating tension in the state.
According to a statement signed by its Deputy Director of Media and Publicity, Moses Alao, the organisation challenged the APC and SSACO to allow law enforcement agencies to investigate the incidents, instead of making public accusations against the APM.
The campaign organisation also called on the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Oyo State Police Command to caution political parties against making what it described as sensational and unsubstantiated allegations.
It questioned SSACO’s handling of the killing of Adeyemi, a.ka. Pall Mall, arguing that the campaign organisation had not identified any individual suspected of carrying out the act.
While expressing condolences over the deceased, the APM campaign organisation warned that prematurely linking criminal incidents to political parties could allow perpetrators to exploit political tensions and evade justice.
“APC, SSACO and other political parties should allow the law enforcement agencies to do their jobs and should not assume that because they can buy bloggers and dictate the slant of their stories, then they have become the law,” Alao said.
The organisation also alleged that APC and SSACO had repeatedly attempted to associate Makinde, Adekanmbi and the APM with incidents of violence without providing sufficient evidence.
It cited photographs and videos purportedly showing individuals wielding axes at Molete, Ibadan, and called on security agencies to investigate the incident alongside other reported cases.
The campaign organisation maintained that the APM, Makinde and Adekanmbi were committed to peace and were not involved in the alleged violence.
*PHOTO CAPTION: Alli (l) and Adekanmbi.
