By Jumoke Adeogun, Abeokuta
Leftover funds from the July 16 governorship election in Osun State have wreaked havoc in Ede, the hometown of Osun Governor-Elect Ademola Adeleke, leading to the death of three people and destroying property worth millions of naira.
The crisis erupted on Friday during a meeting of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat, opposite Ansarudeen Mosque in Ede, over leftover funds from the previous governorship election.
According to sources, the crisis resulted in fisticuffs and the slapping of Adewunmi Kofoworola, the minority leader of the House of Assembly.
It was gathered that Kofoworola’s aide was asked to release the election proceeds in his possession, and his refusal resulted in the attack on him by the angry members of the party.
Friends of Kofoworola’s aide were said to have invited the police, led by SP Omoyele, a controversial police officer who led the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
According to newsmen, Superintendent Omoyele and the aide to the House of Assembly member representing Ede North, Kofoworola, went to the home of the PDP chieftain who allegedly slapped the legislator’s aide to arrest him.
It was also learned that violence erupted during the process, leading to the death of two people, one of whom was a staunch member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the son of the PDP chieftain.
However, APC members in the town interpreted the incident as deliberate, claiming that one of their members was killed.
Sources said, “this led to the killing of ‘Kuranga,’ the brother of late notorious thug, Elemo at Atapara. The house of the father of the minority leader of the House of Assembly, Kofoworola, was razed by the angry APC on Saturday and the whole town was enveloped by violence.
According to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) spokesperson, Atanda Olabisi, the intelligence report available to the command stated that the culprits and victims had been taken to the police command.
She stated that the police spokesperson would explain the details because they are in charge of the situation.
Calls to the Osun police command’s spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, were not returned.
Ademola Adeleke, the governor-elect of Osun, accused Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of plotting to destabilize the state.
A statement by the spokesperson to the Governor-Elect, Olawale Rasheed, alleged that the attack on the father of Kofoworola was to start conflict and engulf the whole state ahead of the transition exercise.
“I urge security agencies to swing into action and bring to book perpetrators of that dastardly attack on an innocent senior citizen whose only sin may be that his son is the PDP’s minority leader in Osun State House of Assembly. Acts of violence must stop as the election is not war.
“I appeal to the political class in Osun state particularly Governor Oyetola to be mindful of the harsh socio-economic condition of our people at the grassroots. We should respect their choice of leadership. It is immoral to further complicate the prevailing hardship with mindless politically motivated violence,” the statement added.
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