A civil group, the Civil Society Organization (CSO), the Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEOS) has raised an alarm over fresh plot by Governor Rauf Aregbesola led-State government to implicate the detained ruling Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC), Alhaji Abdulfatai Diekola Oyedele, popularly called “Jagun” over the outcome of the recently conducted bye-election in the State where Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
It would be recalled on Monday that an Osogbo Chief Magistrate Court, presided over by Magistrate A. A. Ayeni ordered that Diekola along with six other persons to be remanded in the Federal Maximum Prison,Ilesa for conduct likely to cause breach of public peace and the ordered which was described as political and notorious by the rights group.
The six other accused persons were; Funso Babalola, Onikola Kunle, Salawu Moshood, Oladosu Alo Babalola Kayode and Bayo Funso on a seven (7) count charges bordering on conspiracy, unlawful assembly and conduct likely to cause breach of public peace.
In statement issued and signed by the CSCEOS’ Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi, Alimi Sulaiman and copies were made available to Journalists on Thursday, alleged that the State government under Aregbesola’s watch had concluded arrangement to implicate the detainees with alleged phantom murder case in connection with deadly “State boys” thugs groomed by the governor to silence any likely perceived opposition, after they might be granted bail of earlier charges.
Comrade Sulaiman who led other members of the civil group on a solidarity visit to Ilesa Prison to meet Alhaji Diekola and six others “Prisoner of Liberation” on Thursday morning, maintaining that the source under anonymity reaching the group, alleged that the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ajibola Bashiru has been mandated by Aregbesola to ensure their return back to prison at all cost.
The statement warned Mr. Aregbesola against clamping down on any perceived opposition of his government over trump-up charges, saying that the law abiding citizens of the State would not allow the State government to be using instrumentality of State unjustly because power resides in the hand of the people in a democratic setting.
It further stated that the leadership and members of the civil society group would not fold its arms in the face of tyrannical government of Aregbesola by not allowing the governor and his cohorts to return the State back to the dark days of military era, where the lives were shortish and brutish, adding that the group has been keeping keen watching on the activities of State government in recent past.
The statement however, called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris and State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olafimihan Adeoye, not to allow the Police to turn to the witch-hunt machinery to be used to silent political opponents which was against the ingredient of democratic norms and values, urging Aregbesola not to set the State on fire because of political selfish aggrandizement and detesting of constructive criticism of the opposition in the State.
The group therefore called for immediate and unconditional release of the APC chieftains and six other “Prisoners of Liberation” from detention.
Support InfoStride News' Credible Journalism: Only credible journalism can guarantee a fair, accountable and transparent society, including democracy and government. It involves a lot of efforts and money. We need your support. Click here to Donate