‘There are plots to silence Adeleke’ — PDP raises the alarm

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is planning to silence Ademola Adeleke, its governorship candidate in the Osun state gubernatorial election.

Addressing reporters in Abuja, on Thursday, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP spokesman, said the move was aimed at stopping Adeleke from retrieving his mandate.

He said the police was part of the plot to clamp down on the senator.

“Given the series of unrelenting attacks, threats and the desperation now being exhibited by the APC, our party has become apprehensive that there are plots to silence Senator Adeleke as a way to terminate his efforts to retrieve his governorship mandate in the court,” PDP said.

“Part of the plot is to frame and arrest the principal of his school, Ede Muslim High School, Ede, Mr. Kadili Adejare Abass, on trump-up charges that Senator Adeleke’s school testimonial was forged with the aim of using such fabrication as a basis to smear and clamp down on Senator Adeleke.

“On April 24, 2019, the Nigerian police in collaboration with the APC arrested Mr. Abass, the principal of the Ede Muslim High School, Ede as well as the wife of the school’s registrar, Mrs. Rofiyat Oladepo and her nine months old baby.

“Information available to the PDP shows that AIG Adeleye Oyebade of Zone II, Osogbo, ordered the arrest of the innocent principal of the school and the registrar.

“The PDP therefore calls on the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed to call his men to order on issues related to Senator Adeleke’s determination to retrieve his governorship mandate, which was stolen by the APC.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had announced Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the September election.

But the PDP and Adeleke had filed a petition at the tribunal, challenging Oyetola’s victory.

In March, a three-man panel of the election petition tribunal declared Adeleke winner of the election, ruling that the rerun election conducted in the state after the initial poll was illegal.

But Oyetola rejected the tribunal’s judgement, asking the court of appeal to overturn the ruling and uphold his victory.