The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress on Sunday accused leadership of the state police command of planning to clamp down on its members using some Divisional Police Officers that had been already briefed by the ruling party in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party.
A statement by the APC acting State Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, obtained in Osogbo on Sunday, specifically said the police command planned to replace some current DPOs considered fair with those that would assist the ruling party to clampdown on the members of opposition parties in the state.
The APC also alleged that a meeting was held in Ede between the leadership of the police and the handlers of the state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, where it was agreed that DPOs in the state should be transferred and replaced with those that would accede to order to arrest members of the opposition.
“Our intelligence indicates that the idea behind the concluded plan to orchestrate the massive transfer of the DPOs is to give room for some pliable and compromised police officers who could accede to any illegal order of arrest of any member of the opposition.
“Information has it that quite a sizeable number of the serving DPOs have been questioning the reason why they should be made to go after and arrest any member of the opposition for no just cause.
“Barring any change of plans, it was learnt that the massive transfer of the DPOs would be kick-started tomorrow (Monday) while the new compromised ones have pledged their loyalty for readiness to act according to any directive from either the governor or the leadership of the PDP in the state.
“We are appealing to the IGP to call the Osun CP to order. We are equally appealing to the other sister security agencies in the state to discharge their statutory duties with neutrality and desist from any assignment capable of impugning the image of their outfits,” the statement read in parts.
But responding to the allegations in another statement, Osun PDP acting chairman, Adekunle Akindele, chided the state’s APC for engaging in blackmail against the PDP and security agencies, clarifying that the ruling party had nothing to do with internal operations of the police.
According to him, the police had its operational codes which PDP had no power to influence, wondering how the party could control a police service under the control of the Federal Government.
The statement read in parts, “Ever since the APC lost the July election, the party has grown paranoid and regularly engages in manufacturing and distribution of fake news.
“The opposition sinks deeper into despair and confusion, leading it to churning out illogical lies and confusing postulations. What has PDP got to do with police redeployment? Or is APC afraid its secret rigging machines are about to be dismantled?
“Our message to APC and its fake news manufacturing operatives is that Osun people are wiser. The APC was voted out of power in Osun state because it lost any element of credibility due to its elevation of propaganda as the main tool of state governance. Stop blackmail as defeat awaits your candidates in forthcoming elections.”
Osun Police Command spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, when contacted for reaction, said the allegation was not true, saying it should be disregarded.
She said, “The CP, Kehinde Longe, is aware of the allegation. It is not true. Disregard it.”
