By Thomas Abidoye
An aide to Osun State Governor, Akintunde Bello Sheriff, has accused the All Progressives Congress in the state of repeating what he described as past political mistakes ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
Akintunde made the remarks in a statement posted on his Facebook page while reacting to the recent destruction of campaign billboards belonging to Governor Ademola Adeleke and the Accord Party across parts of the state.
The governor’s aide recalled events that preceded the 2007 governorship election in Osun State, alleging that the then opposition candidate, Rauf Aregbesola, gained public sympathy following a violent incident during an Oroki Day celebration in Osogbo.
According to him, the attack at the event eventually boosted Aregbesola’s political acceptance among residents of the state before he later emerged governor through a court ruling in 2010.
Akintunde stated that the recent destruction of billboards belonging to Governor Adeleke and the Accord Party reflected what he described as desperation within the APC camp.
He further alleged that the incident would instead strengthen public support for Adeleke ahead of the governorship poll.
The governor’s aide also claimed that security reports available to him indicated that Adeleke remained favoured to secure a second term in office.
Akintunde urged the opposition party to accept what he described as the political reality in the state, maintaining that power ultimately comes from God.
He wrote “The Osun APC Soldiers have not learnt anything from history. Those who don’t learn from history are destined to repeat the doom. In 2006 during the countdown to the 2007 governorship election between PDP of Oyinlola and AC of Aregbesola; there came the historical Oroki Day celebration in Osogbo where Aregbesola had been invited as a Guest. Upon his entry into the venue; it was a floodgate of torrents of gun bullets. Everywhere became instantly cloudy and everybody scampered. Aregbesola claimed it was the handiwork of the rival political camp. And since then Rauf Aregbesola’s invasion of the State became a phenomenal that the Electorates welcomed. Aregbesola gained the sympathy that the ruling Government couldn’t neutralise until we went into election in 2007 before Aregbesola snatched power through the court in 2010.
“The attack simply conferred acceptability on Rauf Aregbesola. The mass overnight demolition and massive destructions of Accord and Governor Ademola Adeleke’s billboards across Osun State yesterday signalled only one thing. The APC is yet to learn and their frustration and desperation will stamp the acceptability of Governor Ademola Adeleke on August 15th by the Electorates.
“As I drove across Akoda to Osogbo yesterday to inspect the level of destruction by the APC; I became reassured more in my spirit that Governor Adeleke remains a migraine or headache for Oyetola and Muniru Bola Oyebamiji. Nothing will change the tide. Every security report places His Excellency The Governor at an advantage to win his second term. I enjoin the APC to accept that only God crowns a King. Their desperation will not change the mind of the resolute Osun State Electorates.”
The comments, however, generated reactions from supporters of the APC and other Facebook users who dismissed the allegations against the opposition party.
An APC member, Olaleye Seun Festus, alleged that the destruction of the campaign materials was self-inflicted and aimed at gaining public sympathy.
He wrote, “Chief……. It’s a self inflicted.Your people destroyed those banners to gain cheap sympathy unknowingly to them, gbogbo wa lo ti gbọn l’Ọsun.AMBO ti KAYODE L’Ọsun”
Another Facebook user, Christine Olamide, also dismissed the allegations, claiming that the destruction of the billboards was orchestrated internally.
She wrote “Coren Era….. calm down first!Did you know that those banners were destroyed by unna otherwise the culprits would have been arrested!Enjoy your conferrement till Monday naa! You also need to learn how to conduct yourself in public space as a professional in other not to put your institute in disrepute as a public figure!”
The controversy followed recent accusations and counter-accusations between the Accord Party and the APC over the destruction of campaign billboards across several local government areas in Osun State ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.
