Politics
Osun PDP Alleges Police-Assisted Harassment By APC
The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of using the police to harass its members.
A press statement signed by the Caretaker Chairman of the party, Dr. Akindele Adekunle, said members of the party in Ijebu-Jesa and Eti Oni in Oriade and Atakumosa East Local Government Areas respectively were victims of the APC harassment.
According to him, police being supervised by a member of the state cabinet, forcefully arrested PDP members and inflicted on them bodily harm, even without any warrant of arrest to justify such cause of action.
The statement read in parts, “Reports reaching the state secretariat of our great party, the PDP, indicate that a serving Commissioner in the government of Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola has been taking police operatives to private homes of PDP members in some local governments in the state to forcefully arrest them without any just cause.
“Specifically, police were reported to have invaded private homes of innocent members of our party members in Ijebujesha and Eti Oni in Oriade and Atakumosa East local governments respectively, effecting the forceful arrest of our members and inflicting on them bodily harms, even without any warrant of arrest to justify such cause of action against harmless citizens.
“More worrisome is the fact that, the police chose the dead of the night to invade citizens homes, embarking on sporadic gunshots, thereby subjecting the victims and their relatives to unnecessary psychological trauma.”
But while reacting, Osun APC Publicity Secretary, Wole Adunola, dismissed PDP’s claim saying, no state Commissioner was working with the police to harass anyone.
“The said Commissioner is not working with the police neither is he an intelligence officer and will not put his life at risk going to thugs, wielding gun in their homes at night. So, they should tell the world how their thugs disrupted PVC distribution in Ilesa and suburbs,” Adunola concluded.
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has strongly rejected calls by the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria seeking the removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, over comments he allegedly made on genocide.
The Fellowship described the demand as unjustified and a threat to constitutional freedoms.
In a statement signed by its National Secretary, Bishop David Bakare, the PFN insisted that Prof Amupitan, like every Nigerian, has the constitutional right to express his views on matters of national concern, irrespective of the public office he occupies.
According to the PFN, the comments attributed to the INEC Chairman were made in his personal capacity and had no link whatsoever with his official responsibilities or electoral duties.
The Fellowship stressed that elections and electoral activities were not involved in the matter, arguing that there was no basis to connect the alleged comments to Prof Amupitan’s role as INEC Chairman.
“We strongly oppose such calls because Prof. Amupitan, as a Nigerian, has the right to make comments on what he observes to be happening in the nation, regardless of his appointment or assignment,” the statement read.
The PFN said it condemned “in every ramification” the suggestion that the INEC Chairman should be removed from office on the basis of his personal views, warning against attempts to punish public officials for expressing opinions outside the scope of their official duties.
The Tide source reports that the Fellowship also cautioned against what it described as a growing tendency to interpret national issues through religious lenses, noting that such an approach only deepens divisions and undermines peaceful coexistence.
“We must resist the temptation of profiling or judging people based on their religious beliefs or positions. Prof. Amupitan has a right to bear his mind, and this should not be at the cost of his job,” the PFN added.
The PFN called on all stakeholders to exercise restraint, understanding and mutual respect in national discourse, particularly on sensitive issues.
It emphasised that unity and peace must remain paramount in addressing national challenges.
The Fellowship reaffirmed its commitment to fairness, justice and mutual respect, urging that these values guide public engagement and responses to issues affecting the country.
The Special Adviser on Political Affairs to the Rivers State Governor, Dr. Darlington Oji, has disclosed that about 15 Special Advisers to the governor were duly approved by the Rivers State House of Assembly before the current political crisis in the State.
Oji made the disclosure in a Television programme in Port Harcourt, recently, while reacting to issues surrounding appointments, the impeachment moves against the governor and his deputy, and allegations of financial mismanagement.
He clarified that the appointment of Special Advisers was carried out in strict compliance with constitutional provisions, and received the approval of the Rivers State House of Assembly under the leadership of the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, before the crisis began.
According to the Special Adviser, the appointments did not require any further screening, countering claims that the governor violated due process in constituting his advisory team.
On the impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, Oji described the process as unfounded and lacking constitutional backing.
He said that several lawmakers who initially supported the impeachment move were now reconsidering their stance after discovering that the process had no legal basis.
Oji also attributed the impeachment plot to personal and political ambitions, saying it is not motivated by the interest or welfare of the people of Rivers State.
Speaking on the financial position of the State after the Emergency Rule, the Special Adviser disclosed that the governor met about ?600 billion in the state’s coffers upon assumption of office.
He explained that the availability of funds enabled the administration to continue governance smoothly without the need for a supplementary budget.
The governor’s aide also refuted allegations of financial mismanagement against the governor, and stressed that all allocations to lawmakers and constituency projects were transparently handled.
He maintained that the Fubara administration remained focused on development, stability, and good governance despite the political distractions in the State.
Oji expressed confidence that the impeachment moves would eventually be abandoned as legislators and the public become more informed, adding that the governor’s leadership has continued to reassure citizens and sustain political stability in the State.
King Onunwor
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