Osun 2014: State Government Replies PDP Candidate’s False Allegations As Election Draws Close
PRESS RELEASE
It has come to the attention of the Government of the State of Osun that Senator Iyiola Omisore, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the August 9 poll, obviously threatened by his own past, has accused Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun of acquiring new Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs).
In an apparent display of either ignorance, mischief or both, Omisore said the acquisition of APCs is for theAugust 9 governorship election. In the first place, we do not know why Omisore is catching fever and cold all at once over the state government’s acquisition of APCs and other security patrol vans at this stage. If Omisore and his handlers have forgotten, this government did not have to wait for any election before putting in place adequate mechanism to protect the peace and security of our people.
Perhaps, the PDP candidate and his hangers-on believe that the entire people of Osun also have short memory just as they do. They need to be reminded that on April 5, 2013, Governor Rauf Aregbesola with fanfare, handed over about 120 patrol vans and five APCs to the security agencies at a ceremony witnessed by an Assistant Inspector General, Ghandi Orubebe, who represented the Inspector General of Police.
If not for laziness, mischief and a determination to score cheap political point, we expect Omisore to have made inquiries in the office of the Inspector General of Police what the APCs in Osun are meant for and whether the Inspector General of Police is aware of their presence or not.
At the handing over of the last batch of security equipment –including patrol vans and APCs- to the various security agencies last year, Governor Aregbesola had pledged to do more if that would guarantee the security of our people and make Osun an investor-friendly state. For the avoidance of doubt, below are the words of Governor Aregbesola on that occasion:
“Our people will live in peace, happiness and joy under the full protection of Almighty. The era of criminality has gone and gone forever. It is to ensure that that era does not come back that we have done all these AND WE ARE GOING TO DO MORE. WE HAVE ALSO PAID FOR SOME APC THAT ARE MORE SOPHISTICATED THAT THE ONES WE HAVE NOW. We are about to order heavy duty motorcycles, the sound of which is enough to drive away criminally-minded people. They will be here before the end of the year. Every street will have one.”
Given the above statement by Aregbesola more than a year ago, what then is strange and in what way has the government deviated from what it promised to do to guarantee peace in the state? Omisore only reminds us of the popular Yoruba saying: Asebaje sebi toun lanwi, ase buruku e ku ara fu (meaning the evil-minded is permanently suspicious and agitated).
At this stage, we can only advise Mr. Omisore to concentrate on his campaigns operating within the limits of the law and civility because the current government will stop at nothing to bring the full weight of the law to bear on anybody who violates the law no matter his status including, of course, those who want to hide under the guise of electioneering to perpetrate evil. Those who have no skeletons in their cupboards need no fear.
Signed:
Semiu Okanlawon
Director,
Bureau of Communications and Strategy,
Office of the Governor
Osogbo