The Deputy Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Benjamin Adereti, has accused Governor Ademola Adeleke of being behind the alleged attacks and killings of members of the opposition party ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
Adereti made the allegation during an interview on Beyond the Headlines with Nifemi Oguntoye on TVC News on Wednesday while reacting to concerns over rising political violence in the state ahead of the poll.
He alleged that more than 40 APC members had been killed, insisting that the attacks could not simply be attributed to clashes between rival cult groups, as suggested by security authorities.
“Over 40 members of the APC have been killed,” Adereti said, challenging those making similar allegations against his party to produce evidence of comparable casualties among their members.
He further alleged that gunmen attacked APC members preparing for a rally in Ile-Isha, killing two people, including a woman leader and a canvasser.
“Yesterday morning, my people were preparing for a rally in Ile-Isha. Gunmen, thugs, known thugs of Governor Ademola Adeleke, came into the premises of our party, shot and killed two members of our party,” he alleged.
Adereti called on security agencies to investigate the incidents and arrest those responsible.
“You cannot attribute this to cult rivalry. This is a direct killing of citizens of Osun State,” he said.
He also claimed that three other APC members who were shot were receiving treatment in hospital.
The APC candidate, however, rejected violence as a means of winning the election, saying no political office was worth the blood of any Osun resident.
“No blood of any Osun citizen is worth any elective post in any election. I am against killing, maiming, shooting or whatever type of violence,” he said.
Adereti further pledged that any APC member caught attacking supporters of another party would be handed over for prosecution.
If any member of my party, the All Progressives Congress, is caught in any of such situations, I can assure you that my party will willingly, voluntarily submit such person for immediate prosecution,” he said.
The APC deputy governorship candidate also expressed confidence in the ability of security agencies to deliver a peaceful election, urging voters to exercise their franchise without fear.
“We want a peaceful election, one man, one vote. No crisis, no rigging, no cheating of any sort. We want the will of the people to count,” he said.
