•SSG regains freedom, APC kicks
•They plan to arrest me too — Osun speaker
OSOGBO— FOLLOWING the detention of Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Mr Teslim Igbalaye, by operatives of the police command over alleged vote buying, Governor Ademola Adeleke, yesterday, declared that the people of the state will not succumb to any form of external interfereance or intimidation as the August 15 governorship election draws near.
This came as the Police command confirmed the release of the SSG from its custody.
Igbalaye was detained along with five others for allegedly committing vote-buying-related offences, as the police recovered Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, cash sums and voters’ register from his house.
He was detained alongside five others after the police raided his private residence in Osogbo.
Although Adeleke did not directly address the detention in his post, he maintained that no amount of intimidation or harassment would make the people of the state succumb to fear ahead of the election.
The governor maintained that the verdict of the people would prevail, adding that “independent polls consistently point to a clear and decisive victory for Accord Party, because the people can see and feel the impact” of his administration.
He stated: “Throughout the history of Osun State, our people have never bowed to intimidation. We are resilient, determined, and fiercely protective of our rights.
“As we approach the August 15 governorship election, I have absolute confidence that no amount of external interference or intimidation can override the collective will of the people of Osun State.
“From infrastructure and education to healthcare, workers’ welfare, and pension reforms, our record speaks for itself.
“By the grace of God and with the continued support of the good people of Osun, our second term will build on these achievements and deliver even greater progress for every community. The best days of Osun are still ahead.”
Osun SSG regains freedom, APC kicks
The Osun State Police Command has confirmed the release of the SSG from its custody.
The Police also identified the other suspects arrested at the residence as Abiodun Arowomole, popularly known as “Ashipa,” who was described as a wanted murder suspect on the Command’s watch list, alongside Taiwo Akande, Lukman Adeyemo, Muftau Olaoye, and Musiliu Aderemi.
However, the command’s spokesperson, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, said the SSG has been released this afternoon but investigation is ongoing in the matter.
Ojelabi said: “I can only tell you that the SSG, Mr Teslim Igbalaye has been released this afternoon and investigation is still ongoing.”
APC calls for SSG’s resignation
However, the Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday, called for the sack of the SSG for harbouring “wanted criminals”, since the governor pledged before the IGP to arrest his son if found wanting.
The council’s Media Committee Chairman, Remi Omowaye, tasked the governor to be true to his pledge and should not sack only the SSG but also released other wanted criminals to the police for proper investigation.
He said: “The APC Governorship Campaign Council in Osun State expresses deep concern over the frightening revelation that Governor Ademola Adeleke is working frantically to free criminals found at the residence of the Secretary to the Osun State Government, Alhaji Teslim Igbalaye, particularly the release of the criminal suspect on the wanted list of the police, Abiodun Oladele Arowomole (aka Abbey Ashipa).
“It is strange and disheartening that Governor Ademola Adeleke, who has failed abysmally to protect the lives and property of the people of Osun, is mounting pressure on the police authorities to free a terror like Abbey Ashipa who is being wanted for the murders of no fewer than 20 citizens of Osun, mostly members and supporters of the APC in the state.
“The APC Governorship Campaign Council urges the good-spirited citizens to impress it on Governor Adeleke to stop harbouring these criminals because those who harbour criminals are no less criminals.”
They plan to arrest me too — Osun speaker
Meanwhile, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr Adewale Egbedun, yesterday, that Police is planning to “implicate and arrest” him ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.
Egbedun was reacting to the arrest of the SSG and five others by operatives of the state police command over alleged vote-buying.
The Speaker, in a post, described Igbalaye’s arrest as an “abuse of power” by the police commissioner, which “should be a source of concern and embarrassment to every patriotic Nigerian.”
“For the past two weeks, I have received information suggesting that some of his officers have been moving around, allegedly planning and strategising on how to implicate and arrest me,” Egbedun claimed.
The speaker said his alleged disagreement with the police commissioner began after he confronted him over a reported plan by some political thugs to attack his residence.
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