The All Progressives Congress in Ede, Osun state has alleged that some thugs working for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the town invaded their party offices, destroying property therein.
The party in a statement issued by its Apex leader, Mufutau Oyewale on Monday, disclosed that the attack was an aftermath of the election petition tribunal verdict that sacked Governor Ademola Adeleke, who incidentally is from Ede.
The statement added that the hoodlums went on a rampage shortly after the verdict and burnt the APC secretariat in Ede South while that of Ede-North was destroyed.
It stated further that the PDP hitmen are threatening to attack and kill some of the party leaders in the town and possibly destroy and burn their houses.
“How and when has it become an offence for a person to exercise his freedom of association and movement which are fundamental rights under the extant constitution of Nigeria?
“Why must it be anathema for an indigene of Ede to be a member of another political party other than the PDP simply because the governorship candidate of the party is of the PDP extraction and hails from the ancient town of Ede?
“There are PDP members in Iragbiji, the native town of Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola and there have not been incidents of persecution, attack, maiming and killing of the PDP members and leaders in the ancient town”, the statement reads.
Reacting, Osun PDP Chairman, Akindele Adekunle described the allegation as a mere distraction from public outcry against the party, saying PDP has no thugs or militia arms anywhere in the state.
“Osun APC is raising false alarm simply because it was in trouble over its attempt to steal a popular mandate through the backdoor. Osun PDP has no militia. We have no records of thuggery, unlike APC which sponsored and nurtured thugs and bandits across Ede and Osun throughout its four years of rule.
“Osun PDP members only engage in peaceful protests all over the state. Our members did not attack anybody. APC possibly deliberately staged fake attacks to raise a false flag. What the Osun people have done is prove their mass support for Governor Ademola Adeleke.
“PDP and its Governor remain popular and everything legal will be done to retain the popular mandate”, he said.
