By John Dike, Osogbo
Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the police and other security agencies to conduct stop-and-search operations on vehicles branded in the colours of the Accord Party, saying the move would help expose those behind alleged criminal activities in the state.
The opposition party made the call while reacting to allegations by the Osun State Chairman of the Accord Party, Pastor Victor Akande, who claimed that the APC was allegedly rebranding some of its campaign vehicles in Accord Party colours to perpetrate attacks and blame them on Governor Ademola Adeleke.
In a statement issued on on Saturday by the APC Director of Media and Information, Mogaji Kola Olabisi, the party described the allegation as false, baseless and politically motivated.
According to Olabisi, the APC has no reason to engage in acts capable of disrupting the peace of the state, stressing that its governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO), remains focused on presenting his credentials and programmes to the electorate ahead of the governorship election.
“The allegation is frivolous and should be disregarded by members of the public and security agencies. Our party has never embraced violence as a means of achieving political victory,” the statement read.
The APC further accused the Accord Party of attempting to divert public attention, alleging that the ruling party was known for accusing opponents of offences it intended to commit.
The party urged security agencies to closely monitor Accord Party leaders and supporters, citing previous incidents of political violence in parts of the state, including Ile-Ife, Owode-Ede and Osogbo.
The statement also questioned why the Accord Party did not immediately alert security agencies if it genuinely possessed evidence of the alleged vehicle rebranding scheme.
APC maintained that the allegations were fabricated and intended to tarnish the image of its governorship candidate and campaign organisation.
Consequently, the party called on the police and other security operatives to subject all Accord Party-branded vehicles to routine stop-and-search operations, insisting that such action would help uncover the “real criminals playing unmerited innocence.”
The party reiterated its commitment to peaceful and issue-based campaigning ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State.
