Soldiers, police, DSS deployed as Osun APC holds guber primaries

Security personnel comprising soldiers, policemen and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) yesterday stormed the roads of Osogbo in a show of force ahead of today’s governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State.

Another team of armed security personnel took up positions in and around the state secretariat of the party. They had on standby an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC).

Locked in the race for the APC ticket are the incumbent governor, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola; a former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr.Moshood Adeoti and a former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Lasun Yusuf.

As security was being beefed up across the state, the Olowu of Kuta, Oba Adekunle Makama, raised the alarm about the infiltration of his community by non-state actors who, according to him, were stockpiling arms and ammunition at the behest of some politicians.

Osogbo, the state capital in particular has recorded some shootings and intimidation of residents by suspected thugs in the last few days, raising tension ahead of the primaries.

The situation is not helped by the war of words between supporters of the governor and those of Adeoti who is being backed by Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola.

The armed security personnel were sighted in operational vehicles at about 8pm yesterday patrolling the streets of Osogbo ostensibly to warn trouble makers to keep the peace.

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Spokesperson of the State Police Command, Yemisi Opalola, said the police were fully ready to ensure there would be no security breach today.

She said: “Preparation for the APC primary election is intact. We have more men now. I won’t say the actual number of those deployed. By God’s grace, we have mounted checks in all the boundaries to the state. We are ready for the task.”

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the state said in a separate statement by its spokesperson, Olabisi Atanda, that the Commandant, Emmanuel Ocheja, had ordered a full-scale covert operation to check any act of criminality by hoodlums, thugs and miscreants.

She said this followed “insinuations and allegations in some quarters that some nefarious elements have stockpiled the uniforms of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigeria Correctional Service with the intent of distributing them to non-state actors for use during the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship primary elections.”

APC panel meets aspirants

The APC Primary Electoral Committee led by Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman Abdulrasak yesterday met with the three governorship aspirants at the party’s secretariat on Gbogan Road, Osogbo, pledging to provide a level playing ground for all the contestants.

“This committee is promising you that the process will be a free, fair, credible and acceptable poll,” Abdulrasak said.

He added: “Since yesterday, we have communicated necessary information to all the aspirants and that was done through SMS, WhatsApp and other means, and all the aspirants have shown willingness to come and they were informed to come with 10 supporters and their agents in the 332 Wards.

“We came here in peace. Our party is peaceful and we are going to do everything to ensure that peace is maintained throughout the entire process. Fairness, equity, justice, credibility and peace are our watchwords.

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“I want you all to come out peacefully and in large numbers to vote for your preferred aspirant. What we are looking for is peace and I can assure you that we will leave no stone unturned to ensure a peaceful, free and fair exercise.

“To us as a committee, peace, love, unity and oneness are our watchwords. Let’s be our brother’s keepers. What we should be celebrating are peace, love and oneness, and as we are moving into the field, we should go in peace. We are here to do justice to all aspirants.”

Secretary of the committee, Senator Julius Ucha, said direct primary would be adopted today.

Speaking on the modalities, he said: “Accreditation will commence by 8 am and end at noon, while voting will start at noon and end at 2 pm or two hours after the end of accreditation.

“The primary will be through Option A4 also known as direct primary, where members will be expected to queue behind their choice aspirant or his posters.”

Responding, Adeoti asked for a copy of party members register to be used for the primary election and a copy of the guidelines for the exercise.

He was then given a copy which he certified.

The leader of the pro-Aregbesola group – The Osun Progressives (TOP) – Lowo Adebiyi, alleged that the returning officers for the exercise were political appointees of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.

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The Primary Electoral Committee, Senator Ucha, said the claim was untrue as the returning officers were appointed by the national secretariat of the APC.

Lasun Yusuf said: “I have no comment.”

Governor Oyetola pleaded with his co-aspirants and party members to see the contest as a family affair to deepen democracy.

Oyetola said adequate security had been put in place to ensure that the exercise was hitch-free and produce the candidate of the majority members of the party.

Adeoti and Yusuf accepted Prince Gboyega Famodun as the APC chairman in the state.

They had hitherto refused to recognise him and the results of the congresses at every level.

Also at yesterday’s meeting were other members of the panel: Senator Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe, Abdulkarim Abdulraman, Wale Raji, Mrs Yetunde Imolehin and Ofonmbuk Okon Bassy.

Adeoti kicks over appointment of Kwara Gov as panel chair

Earlier yesterday, Adeoti protested the appointment of Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasak as chairman of the Osun APC Primary Electoral Committee.

The former SSG also alleged that the primary had been skewed in favour of Governor Oyetola.

The governor, he said, “has influenced the committee led by Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrazak Abdulramon because of his membership of National Caretaker and Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee of the party.”

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