Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress on Monday accused members of a faction in the party backed by the Interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola, of planning a violent protest in the state and Abuja against the state chairman of the party, Prince Gboyega Famoodun.
In a statement signed by Kola Olabisi, the Media Adviser to Osun APC chairman, the protesters under the aegis of The Osun Progressives, had concluded plan to promote a large-scale disturbance in the state.
The statement said a leader of TOP from the West Senatorial District of the state had been saddled with the responsibility of mobilizing members of the group across the state and some members of the Peoples Democratic Party with a view to sponsoring series of protests against the state leadership of the APC.
“Sequel to the recent conduct of the governorship election in Osun State, an incontrovertible intelligence report has shown that the leadership of a bellicose and belligerent tendency under the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), self-styled The Osun Progressives (TOP), has finetuned, funded and concluded a skillfully orchestrated sinister plan to promote a large-scale disturbance in the political firmament of the state.
“It was learnt that a leader of TOP from the West Senatorial District of the state has been saddled with the responsibility of mobilizing the members of the group across the state and some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with a view to sponsoring series of protests against the state leadership of the APC under the chairmanship of Prince Gboyega Famodun, across the states and at the APC Headquarters in Abuja,” the statement partly read.
“Another targeted intention of the inglorious TOP handlers is to create series of violent protests across the state as a prelude or precondition for the creation of a state of emergency in the state in order to create a false impression that peace has eluded the perpetually peaceful state under the administration of Governor Oyetola.
“The aim of seeking for the hands of some PDP members in the planned protests in both Osun State and Abuja, according to the intelligence, is to create a false impression that TOP members are more in number than what they are actually.”
The Osun APC then called on the National Headquarters of the party to take note of the development which it alleged was being funded by a serving minister.
It also implored the Inspector-General of Police, the Osun State Police Command, and other sister security outfits with the local security outfits to be on red alert with a view to nip in the bud any sinister motive of any individual or a group of disgruntled elements to plunge the state into avoidable anarchy under whatever guise.
But when contacted, Abiodun Agboola, the Publicity Secretary of a faction in Osun APC backed by Aregbesola, dismissed the allegations, challenging Olabisi to substantiate his claims against members of TOP.
He said, “they conducted election and lost and they think people will not react? People are free to stage a peaceful protest under the Constitution.
“APC members across the divide are the ones planning protest after an executive had mismanaged an election and lost it and not members of TOP. They can’t run away from the consequences of their actions.”
