Adeleke Foiled APC Plot to Stop Accord Canvasser's Rally

Read Time:3 Minute, 22 Second

Adeleke Foiled APC Plot to Stop Accord Canvasser’s Rally — Spokesperson

By Waliu Adetokun, Osogbo

The spokesperson to Osun State Governor, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to stop the Accord Canvassers’ Rally held in Ijebu-jesa, describing the opposition party’s account of the event as “a bundle of fake news.”

Rasheed, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said the APC failed in what he described as an anti-democratic move to frustrate the rally, which he said was legally organised and successfully held.

According to him, the opposition party allegedly sought to use the state police command to prevent the event from taking place by claiming to be holding another programme on the same day.

“The Osun APC launched a coordinated plot to use the police to stop the event from holding by clandestinely claiming to be organising another event on the same day as an alibi for the police to cancel all political events in the town,” he said.

The governor’s spokesman further claimed that the police command initially issued a statement cancelling the campaign event without consulting the state government, despite Governor Ademola Adeleke being the chief host.

He described the action as politically motivated and aimed at denying the Accord Party and its candidate their constitutional rights to political participation and mobilisation.

Rasheed said Governor Adeleke subsequently intervened by engaging the police authorities and drawing attention to what he termed the legal and political implications of the decision.

“Mr Governor then decided to engage the police authorities, calling attention to the inherent illegality and the partisan implications of the police position on the subject.

The police authorities later bowed to fair policing requirements and withdrew their reported opposition to the hosting of the rally,” he stated.

He maintained that the rally was conducted in line with all legal requirements and that the governor did not violate any directive issued by the police.

“We submit that the rally was held under all legal conditions. Mr Governor did not disobey any police directive because there was no legal directive to obey. The police, after engagement, only realised its errors and withdrew what was apparently a partisan stance,” Rasheed added.

Reacting to reports of a stage collapse during the event, the spokesperson described the incident as a minor setback that was quickly addressed.

“On the minor incident of stage collapse, the truth is that there were a few hiccups at the beginning. It was fixed and the programme proceeded with a huge crowd of voters and canvassers. All key leaders spoke and Mr Governor rounded it up with the official inauguration of the canvassers,” he said.

According to him, videos circulating on social media showed that the rally proceeded successfully, with Governor Adeleke addressing supporters and participating fully in the programme.

“Our hale and hearty governor addressed the crowd and sang and danced with thousands of canvassers. The Osun APC cannot deny what the public can see, watch and read on their mobile telephones,” he said.

Rasheed argued that the turnout at the rally reflected growing support for Governor Adeleke in Ijesaland and across Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

“Such a mammoth crowd can grace such an event in the home constituency of its campaign director-general and its sitting senator confirms the political death of APC in Ijesaland and Osun State as a whole,” he stated.

He added that the successful hosting of the rally, despite what he described as efforts to stop it, was a positive sign for the governor’s re-election bid.

“The event was successfully held after the desperate bid of Osun APC to stop it, and the programme also proceeded after the initial hiccups. This signals supreme victory over Bola Oyebamiji and continuity of Adeleke’s governorship,” he said.

The governor’s spokesman concluded that the large turnout at the rally was an indication of what to expect across the state during the forthcoming election.

“By God and people, Governor Adeleke will be re-elected come August 15,” Rasheed said.