Osun APC and PDP Clash Over Alleged Police Intimidation

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has condemned the alleged use of police officers by Governor Ademola Adeleke to target, intimidate, humiliate, arrest, and dehumanize key opposition party members.

The APC claimed that at the governor’s instigation, numerous prominent party members have been summoned and investigated by the police for frivolous reasons.

In a statement released on Friday by the party chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, and obtained by DAILY POST, the party accused the governor of attempting to suppress the opposition through these actions.

The statement read, “Information indicates that Mr. Akin Adeyi, an APC chieftain and respected socio-political commentator on social media, has been repeatedly summoned by the Zone 11 Command of the Nigeria Police in Osogbo, based on frivolous petitions from a political appointee in Governor Adeleke’s administration.

“Further investigation revealed that unusual phone calls from police officers in both Zone 11 and the Osun State Police Command have been made to various APC chieftains and members, summoning them over frivolous petitions by the governor and his associates.”

Lawal called on the Inspector-General of Police to intervene and prevent Zone 11 and the State Command from being manipulated by political actors whose popularity has waned.

“Opposition is a vital element of any democratic government, which must be accepted by any administration that is not turning towards dictatorship.

“Now that Adeyi has filed a court case challenging the enforcement of his fundamental rights at the Federal High Court in Osogbo, the police have no choice but to leave him alone.”

Responding, Osun Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Sunday Bisi, advised the opposition to accept the realities of the law.

Bisi emphasized that laws are meant to regulate citizens’ conduct and uphold civilized society.

He stated, “Osun State, as a federating unit of Nigeria, upholds laws against cyberstalking and cyberbullying, which are serious offenses. The APC should remember that these cybercrime-related laws were enacted under the APC administration and are applicable nationwide.

“The Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act of 2015 criminalizes cyberstalking and cyberbullying, with penalties including up to 10 years’ imprisonment, fines of up to N25 million, forfeitures, and other penalties.

“Instead of exposing their lack of mental efficiency to the world, the APC should assemble their legal team to defend Akin Adeyi’s actions. The public, whom the APC is trying to deceive, is already well-informed and ahead of them intellectually.

“We question what has gone wrong with the APC and its leadership, as they now criticize the same police whom Akin Adeyi previously praised for respecting and offering him bail on self-recognition. They now portray the police as minions on their job.”

Sunday Bisi urged the police to fulfill their responsibilities of maintaining a peaceful society by resisting the APC’s manipulative tactics.