A civil society organization, The Osun Mastermind has called on security agencies to investigate the alleged attack by some gunmen on the residence of the Labour Party Governorship candidate, Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff to unravel the identity of the perpetrators.
Addressing journalists in Osogbo on Wednesday, the Executive Director of the group, Dr. Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, urged the Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives to work with security agencies.
Oyedokun-Alli faulted Lasun Yussuff for pointing an accusing finger at another candidate, stating that the accusation is an attempt at blackmailing other candidates.
“it preposterous and rather unfortunate that Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff had so quickly pointed accusing fingers at another candidate when there has still not been any sort of investigation into the matter by relevant security agencies.
According to the group, “We have followed with keen attention, the ongoing spate of accusations and counter-accusations among the political class, particularly the camps of Governorship candidates. Some days ago, the home of Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff, the Labour Party Governorship candidate, was reportedly besieged by unknown gunmen who were reported to have shot sporadically for a period. Almost immediately, the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives was quoted as saying he knew that the attack was orchestrated by Gov. Adegboyega Oyetola.
“The Governor’s camp, through the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Ismail Omipidan, has since responded to the allegations, stating that while the Governor could never have been responsible for any attack on anyone, it doubts any event of that nature ever occurred, also charging security agencies to conduct thorough investigations into the cause of the unfortunate event, if it ever occurred.
“We are concerned that a few days to the election, issues like this are cropping up in the polity, needlessly supercharging the atmosphere and making it unsafe for ordinary citizens of the State.
“We condemn in its entirety, any clandestine attempt by anyone to intimidate any of the candidates. We believe that our electoral process has matured beyond such barbaric approach to winning elections. We therefore condemn the act in its entirety and urge security agencies to immediately conduct detailed investigations into the unfortunate incidence and unravel the identities of the perpetrators and their sponsors.
“We find it preposterous and rather unfortunate that Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff had so quickly pointed accusing fingers at another candidate when there has still not been any sort of investigation into the matter by relevant security agencies. Such hasty and still-baseless accusations make it easy to think the entire narrative was hatched by him to discredit and blackmail another candidate.
“Attempts at blackmailing other candidates are as devilish as attempts to intimidate other candidates. We say with all sense of responsibility, that Rt. Hon. Yussuff’s hasty accusations are as faulty and undemocratic as the attempts by anyone to intimidate him. His rights under the law guarantee him access to security agencies in situations like this, instead of making inciting statements that may have further heightened tensions in the State. We can have a successful election without such resorts to unlawful methods.
“We plead with the citizens of Osun to kindly make the best voting decisions for their future. Taking money for votes is equal to selling our collective destinies to hawks who have nothing to offer our dear State. We all must reject the pittance they will be offering to buy our votes and decide with our clean consciences, whom we prefer to direct the affairs of our State for the next four years. he said
