Osun PDP Raises Alarm Over Alleged Plot to Arrest 25 Government and Party Officials

The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has made a startling revelation, alleging a clandestine plan by special security teams from Abuja to arrest and abduct 25 state officials without proper warrants. In a statement signed by the Osun PDP chairman, Sunday Bisi, obtained in Osogbo on Saturday, it was disclosed that the security operatives are set to commence their operation in the coming week.

According to the statement, the targeted individuals include four special advisers, five party leaders, and 15 other state officials, all of whom are purportedly slated to be moved to Abuja upon their arrest. The PDP claims that the plan was unveiled by certain members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, who boasted about leveraging federal might to target Osun government officials and PDP leaders.

In response to the allegations, Sunday Bisi called on law enforcement agencies, particularly the police and the Department of State Services (DSS), to uphold impartiality and refrain from engaging in political witch hunts. He urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene, emphasizing the importance of respecting constitutional rights and avoiding any actions that could undermine the stability of Osun State.

However, the Osun APC chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, dismissed the PDP’s claims as baseless and an attempt to divert attention from critical questions concerning contract procurement practices under the Adeleke government. Lawal asserted that the apprehension expressed by the PDP stemmed from their reluctance to address issues surrounding the awarding of over N50 billion road contracts to allegedly unqualified companies associated with the ruling party.

Challenging the PDP’s narrative, Lawal questioned the exorbitant costs and the competence of the companies awarded the contracts, accusing the Adeleke administration of favoritism and mismanagement. He criticized the PDP for attempting to implicate the APC in its internal disputes and urged the party to cooperate with law enforcement agencies investigating allegations of criminal activities.

The escalating tensions between the Osun PDP and APC intensified following the opposition party’s allegations of nepotism and corruption in the awarding of contracts by Governor Ademola Adeleke. Despite the PDP’s defense of Adeleke’s administration and its initiation of a probe into contracts awarded by the previous administration, the political landscape in Osun remains fraught with contention and uncertainty.