By John Dike, Osogbo
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State has cautioned the All Progressives Congress (APC) against what raising false security alarms, following claims by a purported former APC governorship aspirant, Mr. Raif Durodoye, that his life was under threat.
In a statement, the state PDP Media Director, Hon. Hezekiah Oladele Bamiji (HOB), dismissed the alleged assassination claims as baseless and politically motivated, describing them as a desperate attempt to gain undue public sympathy after widespread criticism of Mr. Durodoye’s comments on Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration.
Bamiji said the so-called security alert was nothing more than a poorly choreographed political drama by an individual unsettled by the strong public backlash that followed what he termed Durodoye’s ill-informed, poorly researched, and misleading assessment of governance in Osun State.
He warned that robust public rebuttals and citizens’ rights to respond to public commentary should not be misconstrued as threats to life, stressing that democracy does not grant immunity from criticism, scrutiny, or ridicule—especially when public figures propagate what he described as false narratives under the cloak of intellectual authority.
According to the PDP, the claims of assassination attempts lack logical foundation, noting that the people of Osun State are politically enlightened and capable of independently evaluating public statements.
Bamiji maintained that the backlash experienced by Durodoye was a direct consequence of his own judgment errors and not the result of any threat to his personal safety.
The party recalled that Durodoye had previously described Osun State hospitals as “mass death centres” without presenting empirical evidence, an allegation it said was unbecoming of someone laying claim to scholarly credibility.
The statement noted that the claim was swiftly countered by Osun State Government through the Special Adviser on Public Health, Dr. Akindele Adekunle, while independent observers also dismissed the allegation as unfounded.
Bamiji emphasized that the health sector under the Adeleke administration has recorded notable improvements, earning both national and international recognition, including verifiable awards.
While reiterating the PDP’s commitment to freedom of expression, the party stressed that such freedom is not exclusive to a select few, adding that the public equally reserves the right to interrogate, challenge, and reject falsehoods.
The PDP Media Director called on the Nigeria Police Force to thoroughly investigate the allegations raised by Durodoye and urged that appropriate legal steps be taken should the claims be found to be false, warning that reckless security alarms could unnecessarily heighten political tension and threaten public peace.
He said that Osun State remains peaceful and focused on development under the leadership of Governor Adeleke, adding that no form of political theatrics would distract the government or the people from their collective pursuit of progress.
