Osun APC, PDP Trade Accusations Over Alleged Coercion of Transport Unions
The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress alleged that Governor Ademola Adeleke was resorting to drastic measures in his bid for reelection.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Osun APC Chairman, Mr. Tajudeen Lawal, accused Governor Adeleke of employing coercive tactics to secure allegiance from commercial motorcycle and tricycle riders in the state.
Lawal claimed that Adeleke was compelling these transport operators to swear an oath pledging continuous support for the PDP, utilizing rituals involving the Yoruba deity ‘Ogun.’
“It was learnt that Adeleke has now resorted to forcing commercial motorcycle and tricycle riders in the state to swear to the oath of continuous support for the PDP in all the future elections in the state with the god of iron called ‘Ogun’ in Yoruba parlance,” Lawal asserted.
The APC chairman further alleged that directives had been issued for secret oath-taking ceremonies to be conducted across various units of the transport unions in Osun State, orchestrated to secure unwavering support for the ruling party.
Governor Adeleke and his administration were also accused of attempting to reconcile with estranged PDP members, whom the APC claimed were previously marginalized following Adeleke’s assumption of office.
Lawal cautioned against what he described as unconstitutional practices and emphasized the right of citizens to make political choices freely, without coercion.
In response, the Osun PDP Chairman, Mr. Sunday Bisi, vehemently denied the allegations leveled by the APC. Bisi labeled the accusations as baseless and accused the APC of orchestrating a smear campaign against Governor Adeleke and the PDP.
“Contrary to the false impression that Sooko Tajudeen Lawal tried to create, we authoritatively gathered that the Osun APC advances to transporters in Osun did not yield and the only thing Kola Olabisi could come up with was to lie to the public,” Bisi retorted.
Bisi defended Governor Adeleke’s administration, citing significant achievements in welfare and infrastructure development as factors that naturally earned the support of various sectors in Osun State, including transport operators.
“To any reasonable mind in Osun, it would not be so hard to understand why transporters in Osun turned down the APC advances. Its time at the helm in Osun State brought nothing but pains and anguish, and it is, therefore, nothing but nonsense on the part of Sooko Tajudeen Lawal to try and cover for his party’s failure and the consequent rejection by cooking up cheap lies,” Bisi added.
