Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has accused his predecessor and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, of orchestrating police raids and political intimidation against members of the Accord Party ahead of the state’s governorship election.
Speaking at a press conference, Adeleke alleged that the arrests of party members were carried out without lawful justification and described the actions as politically motivated.
According to the governor, more than 60 Accord Party members have been arrested and taken to Abuja without formal charges.
“Several Accord members have been killed and 60 Accord members have been arrested and taken to Abuja and detained without any charges,” Adeleke said.
He further alleged that the operations were carried out on the orders of Oyetola in a bid to influence the outcome of the forthcoming election.
“All these intimidation and attacks were carried out on the order of Gboyega Oyetola over an election his candidate cannot win,” he claimed.
Adeleke also accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of freezing the Osun State Government’s accounts without obtaining a court order.
He described the action as unconstitutional and warned that such measures pose a threat to Nigeria’s democracy and the rule of law.
“We are supposed to be in a democracy, where the Rule of Law must always prevail. We will therefore not accept a situation where federal agencies trample on the constitutional rights of subnational governments,” he said.
The governor called on the EFCC Chairman to publicly explain the reason for freezing the state’s accounts and provide legal justification for the action.
He disclosed that he had directed the Osun State Attorney General to challenge the account freeze at the Federal High Court in Osogbo.
Despite the developments, Adeleke maintained that his administration and party would remain focused on their political activities.
“I have instructed my Attorney General to challenge this illegality at the Federal High Court, Osogbo. As for me, we are pushing ahead with our campaign,” he said.
The allegations come amid heightened political tensions in Osun State ahead of the upcoming governorship election….See more