Fresh political tension has emerged in Osun State after Governor Ademola Adeleke and the All Progressives Congress (APC) accused each other of being responsible for a series of violent incidents reported in parts of the state.
Speaking at a press briefing held at the Government House in Osogbo on Tuesday, Adeleke alleged that individuals linked to the APC were behind recent attacks and gunfire that have unsettled residents in some communities.
The governor claimed that suspected hoodlums carried out sporadic shootings in Ile-Ife during the early hours of Tuesday, causing fear and confusion among residents.
He also alleged that another attack occurred in the Owode-Ede area, where several people reportedly sustained injuries.
Describing the incidents as unacceptable, Adeleke said political violence in the state had reached a disturbing level and called on security agencies to intervene before the situation deteriorates further.
According to him, he had consistently appealed to his supporters to remain peaceful despite what he described as repeated acts of provocation.
The governor also referenced previous violent incidents in the state, including the killing of a youth leader of the Accord Party in Ikire and the shooting of the party’s chairman in Osogbo.
He urged the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services and other security chiefs to pay closer attention to developments in Osun.
Adeleke maintained that democratic elections should be conducted in an atmosphere free from intimidation and violence, stressing that citizens must be allowed to exercise their voting rights without fear.
Following the briefing, the governor accompanied journalists to the University of Osun Teaching Hospital, where some of the injured victims were reportedly receiving medical attention.
However, the APC rejected the allegations and instead accused supporters of the Accord Party of attacking its members.
In a statement issued by the Head of Media and Publicity of the APC Campaign Council, Mr Remi Omowaiye, the party alleged that its supporters had become targets of politically motivated attacks.
Omowaiye claimed that campaign vehicles belonging to the party were vandalised by suspected Accord Party supporters in the Owode-Ede area on Tuesday.
He said several supporters of the APC governorship candidate were injured during the incident, while campaign materials and other property were damaged.
According to him, violence has no place in the democratic process and should be condemned by all residents irrespective of political affiliation.
Meanwhile, the Osun State Police Command confirmed receiving reports of the incidents from its divisions in Owode-Ede and Osogbo.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, stated that investigations were ongoing and that security operatives had yet to establish the identities or political affiliations of those responsible for the attacks.
He added that intelligence gathering and other investigative efforts were continuing as the police work to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incidents and bring those involved to justice.