TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Tension has enveloped Osogbo, capital of Osun State over the presidential campaign rally of the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Tinubu slated for today.
While the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state and major opposition APC have been embroiled in exchange of accusations over planned attack during the rally, a fresh controversy has emerged over the venue of the campaign.
The conflict over the venue has been generating tension in Osogbo and other major towns as the APC in the state has alleged that the state government has directed members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers to desist from transporting members of the APC to the venue.
While the state government said it has approved the use of Osogbo Stadium for the APC presidential rally after the Osun APC applied for it, the opposition party said it has secured Freedom Park and it would be using the latter for the rally.
In a statement issued by the state government, it declared that the stadium was approved to manage the tensed security atmosphere in Osun State, directing security and other agencies to ensure maximum security at the stadium.
“Consequently, the State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has directed the state police command and the Department of State Services to enforce state directives to ensure peace and tranquility across the state.
“Additionally, the State Governor further directed Osun indigenes to remain peaceful and calm while at the same time warning against any attempt to create conflict in the Osun Osun state.
“Meanwhile, the government of Osun state has called on residents of the state to stay away from the presidential rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) holding at Osogbo on Thursday ,describing those coming for campaign as violence prone,” the statement read.
Also, the state government urged residents to avoid the venue of the rally “as there are credible reports that the APC has imported thugs with MC Oluomo and Asiri Eniba coordinating the evil agenda.
“The APC has imported their agents of deaths. There is likelihood they may engage in fights and brawls. It is important for our people to stay safe, away from the assemblage of evil hands,” the statement issued by Governor Ademola Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed said.
Meanwhile, the Osun APC has insisted on using the Freedom Park in Osogbo as against the one approved for them at Osogbo Stadium.
A chieftain of the party, Adebayo Adeleke, said on Thursday that the state government directed the state park management to stop the the commercial transporters in the state from taking their supporters to the rally.
Adeleke said the alleged move was to prevent Tinubu’s rally from recoding massive crowd.
The leadership of Osun APC in a statement issued by its Acting Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal enjoined all the members and supporters of the party to make it a date by gracing the occasion in large numbers.
Lawal, however, appealed to the APC members and supporters in the state not to be bothered by the empty security threats being peddled by the PDP members and leaders in the state over the campaign of the APC presidential candidate, stating that the campaign would hold as scheduled.
He told the party faithful to “resist any form of provocation within and outside the campaign rally that might be orchestrated by the state chapter of the PDP in line with their nefarious plans to the effect.”
Reacting to the allegation that the state government instructed commercial transporters against moving APC supporters across the state to the venue of the rally in Osogbo, Olawale Rasheed said there was nothing of such and that the APC was only putting up excuses because “the people of the state has rejected them. That’s why they left the Osogbo Stadium which they applied for as the venue of the rally.”
As the APC is expecting Tinubu’s campaign train in the state any moment from now, members of the public have urged for peace.
