- I’m not vindictive – Osun Governor
BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
A retired officer of the Department of State Services, Akin Adeyi, has petitioned DSS and the Nigeria Police over demolition of his business place in Osogbo by those he described as agents of the state governor, Ademola Adeleke.
In the petition dated December 3 and addressed to the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone XI, the Commissioner of Police, Osun State Police Command, Osogbo and the Director, Department of State Services, Osogbo, Adeyi said his life has been under threat since he raised a petition against the academic qualifications and records of Governor Adeleke in 2021.
He said the alleged threat to life became more serious when some hoodlums in company of some policemen, at the weekend, stormed his business place, Kwality Resort and Bar located beside Olorunda Local government INEC Office, Osogbo and demolished the entire place.
Adeyi claimed in the petition that the attackers were screaming his name in bid to attack him. The businessman, however, sought for protection of security agencies.
“I am compelled to write for the second time in this year and most humbly, to seek for the protection of the Osun State police command and the DSS over several sponsored assaults and threats to my life by some privileged people in the state.
“It is a fact that I exercised my right as a member of the People’s Democratic Party early in 2021 when I approached the PDP Governorship Aspirants Screening Appeal Committee with a petition against the academic qualifications and records of Senator Ademola Adeleke.
“The 13-man panel, which was headed by Professor Jerry Gana, had other members who were former governors and Senators. After two days of their critical study and analysis of my petition and attached documents which were Senator Ademola Adeleke’s credentials, the panel agreed that the credentials contained lots of damaging errors and fraudulent claims. The panel thanked and appreciated me and thereafter directed that the Osun PDP and the aspirant’s handlers work on the documents before its final submission to INEC.
“Arising from this, my life has been frequently threatened such that I had to formally complain to the police authority and the DSS also the Osun and Nigeria public.
“Since then, the threats and attacks have continued unabated. But, I decided to keep my cool, bearing in mind that I was after nobody and can only be held responsible for what I say, not what people inferred and the trust speaks for itself. Till this moment, the credentials of the Governor still remain a subject of litigation but I have since said what needed to be said and moved on. At this juncture, however, it is apparent that silence is no longer golden.
“On Saturday, December 3, 2022 at about 4am, some people led about one hundred thugs and a few policemen clothed in black Tee Shirts uniforms to my business place, Kwality Bar & Resort. They beat even cut those staff they met there with cutlasses. They were said to be shouting and asking for my whereabouts.
“Before the illegal and criminal demolition by Governor Ademola Adeleke’s agents, Kwality Resort spread over four plots of land and its worth was in the several million of Naira.
“To the best of my knowledge, freedom of expression is a constitutional right, and expressing my view about the controversial academic record of Senator Ademola which remains clouded till now is never a crime to warrant the state-backed demolition of my business place overnight.
“The place was demolished and leveled without prior notice while the facilities therein were carted away while some others were left in the open. I have in the last 16 hours examined the situation and can confirm that those who are behind the dastardly act are not done. I believe that the development is just a preamble to what is yet to come.
“My life is their target and I hereby appeal that the police and DSS look into the matter and save my life and those of my family members,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Governor Adeleke has said he was not behind the demolition of Adeyi’s business premises, adding that he is not a vindictive leader.
A statement signed and issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, read, “Governor Adeleke is not a vindictive leader. He is the Governor of every Osun indigenes and residents including Akin Adeyi and others. In his inauguration address, Governor Adeleke declared that the election is over and that all Osun people should come together for peace and growth of the state.
“Since last night with a few hours of recess, His Excellency has been holding meetings and consultations with his team on governance progress. All hands are on deck to unify Osun people and deliver on good governance.
“His Excellency has since directed immediate investigation of the incident. The outcome will be communicated to the public.”
