Paul Akomolehin, South West
DAILY COURIER – The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, of plotting to assassinate Governor Ademola Adeleke. The allegation was made on Wednesday during a press conference at the PDP state secretariat in Osogbo.
Addressing journalists, the state chairman of the PDP, Sunday Bisi, alleged that the IGP deliberately deployed special forces to escort certain individuals described as 'miscreants' into local government councils across the state. He labeled the move as a ‘blatant coup’ and claimed it was part of a broader plan to eliminate the governor.
Bisi called on the international community to take note of the situation and prevail on the IGP to refrain from being an enabler of what he described as “orchestrated attempts” on the life of Governor Adeleke. He asserted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State had harbored plans to remove the governor since losing power in 2022.
“The whole world must warn and prevail on Mr. Kayode Egbetokun to desist from being an enabler of orchestrated attempts on the life of our Governor. This plan, we want to emphasize, has been on the cards of the APC in Osun State since the good people of Osun voted them out of office in 2022,” Bisi stated.
He further alleged that the desperation to reclaim the state by any means possible had been evident since the APC’s defeat and stressed that the PDP holds the IGP accountable in the event of any crisis or harm to the governor.
“One wonders how and why the IGP sidetracked the Governor of Osun State before taking a stand on the copies of the judgment at his disposal regarding disputes over local government administration in the state,” he added.
Bisi also criticized the IGP’s handling of security matters in Osun, describing his actions as “suspicious” and “dangerous.” He accused Egbetokun of disregarding laid-down security protocols and claimed that the security reinforcements sent to the state had emboldened troublemakers at a time when nearly ten lives had been lost to violent clashes in the past 48 hours.
“The stark disobedience to laid-down protocol and rules by IGP Egbetokun, especially as it concerns the security situation in the state, is not only suspicious but also apparently dangerous,” Bisi said.
He questioned whether the security situation in Osun was part of the reason for the recent extension of Egbetokun’s tenure as Inspector General, implying a political motive behind the security reinforcement.
The PDP chairman warned that Osun State would not be intimidated by external forces and reaffirmed the party’s commitment to protecting the democratic mandate of its people.
“Osun State is not a state to be intimidated by anyone,” he said, vowing that the ruling party would resist any attempt to destabilize governance in the state.
Despite the tension, the ruling party commended the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) for adhering to the rule of law in its preparations for the upcoming local government elections scheduled for February 22. The PDP encouraged residents to turn out en masse on election day to exercise their franchise.
As the accusations intensify, there has yet to be an official response from the IGP or the APC in Osun State. The unfolding events are expected to draw national attention as political tensions rise ahead of the elections.
