BY LEKE ADESERI, South West Regional Editor, GBENGA OLARINOYE & DAPO AKINREFON
Former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Iyiola Omisore, was last week reported to have warned of likely attack on Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s convoy, if he refused to stop using members of the Jama’at Ta’awunil Muslimeen (Tawun) as his security aides.

According to the reports, Omisore while speaking with journalists in Ile-Ife, Osun State, was quoted as saying it was embarrassing for the governor to go about with “thugs” under the aegis of Tawun, while doing away with the police and men of the State Security Service, SSS, who should be in charge of his security.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola and Senator Iyiola Omisore

The controversy that trailed the development has refused to abate as Osun PDP is of the opinion that the state government is out to witch-hunt its party leaders while political office holders and members of the National Assembly from Ife Federal constituency have called on the Ile-Ife monarch, the Ooni of Ife, to call Omisore to order

THE Osun State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, accused Governor Aregbesola led Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, government of alleged plot to witch-hunt PDP leaders in the state, especially Senator Omisore by fabricating lies against him and influencing the state Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Kalafite Adeyemi to arrest him.

Speaking on behalf of the party  in Osogbo, its Director of Media and Strategy, Prince Diran Odeyemi, said that the Aregbesola’s government latest plot to cook lies against Omisore and induce the state Commissioner of Police to arrest him has been exposed. The PDP then urged the state commissioner of police to resist the inducement from the state government on the matter.

It’s cheap blackmail  Shelle, Lagos PDP boss

Reacting to the alleged threat by Senator Omisore, Chairman of the PDP in Lagos State, Captain Tunji Shelle (rtd) said: “It is all cheap blackmail against Sen Omisore. He (Aregbesola) knows that he wants to Islamise the people of Osun State by changing their culture and orientation, but that is left for him and his conscience to judge. In a way to avoid the issue he is resorting to blackmail. But I don’t want to comment more than this.”

Ife lawmakers want Ooni to warn Omisore

Meantime, political office holders and members of the National Assembly from Ife Federal constituency have asked the Department of State Security, DSS, and the Police to investigate the controversial security report which linked Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, with the alleged secession plan and islamization of the state. Similarly, the politicians also asked the security agencies in both Osun State and Abuja to invite Senator Iyiola Omisore for questioning over a statement credited to him that he would attack Governor Aregbesola’s convoy if Aregbesola refuses to stop using members of an Islamic sect called TAWUN as his security aides instead of the government security agents.

Briefing newsmen in Osogbo, spokesman of the group, Senator Babajide Omoworare flanked by Hon Rotimi Makinde called on the royal father of Ile-Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, the Ile-Ife traditional council, prominent and influential indigenes of the town to call Senator Omisore to order.

His words: “We implore the security agencies in the state and in Abuja not to treat his threat with kids’ gloves but invite Senator Iyiola Omisore, investigate this threat as would be done to anybody else and make their findings public. Only then will they put our minds at rest that there is still rule of law in Nigeria and that we are all equal before the law.”

“We expect the Department of State Security Service and the Police to confirm or deny this allegation since the operatives repot to them. They also have to clear the air on the alleged security report credited to them. This will further allay the peoples’ fear of partiality of the State Security apparatus in this matter. We  may enquire rather rhetorically is Omisore the only Ife indigene in Osun PDP? Why is he creating the impression that Ifes are anti ACN government as led by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.”

‘Omisore family ready to apologise on Senator’s behalf’

A member of Omisore’s family, Hon. Abayomi Omisore, has advised Sen. Iyiola Omisore to own up and apologise if he truly threatened the life of Osun state governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola. Speaking with newsmen in Osogbo, weekend, Omisore, a former secretary of Amuwo/Odofin Local Government area of Lagos State stated that if Sen. Omisore takes the path of honour the whole family was prepared to apologise to the governor on his behalf.

He said the situation became confusing when after Sen. Omisore had denied the report of the threat on the governor they later read the full interview in a national newspaper where the senator did make the statement. According to him, Omisore dynasty in Ile-Ife is a noble family who had made various contributions in commerce and politics both in the state and in Nigeria and would not seat and allow the personal ambition of individual to damage the reputation and image of the family.

His words: “If truly Senator Omisore made such a threat I think it is a wrong signal to the younger Omisores because this could be an hindrance to future political aspirations and this certainly is not a good development. Senator Omisore was deputy governor for years and a senator of Federal Republic of Nigeria for eight years, he should know better what government is all about. The office of the governor should be respected.

“Let him come out and clear himself better because his denial of the report is not enough. He has the opportunity to defend himself before the family takes any position. Omisore is a noble family, we are a peaceful family, we are a loving family. Iyiola Omisore is not the first politician in the family. We have Ahmadu Omisore who was a member of House of Representatives in the Second Republic.”

Monarchs condemn plot, visit Aregbesola

Traditional rulers in Osun State condemned attempts by some opposition politicians to plunge the state into crisis. The monarchs, who paid a solidarity visit to the Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, at the Government House, Osogbo, said they were disappointed by the rumoured tension which the enemies of the state orchestrated in a section of the media about two weeks ago. They described as falsehood the allegation that the governor wanted to Islamise the state, saying the perpetrators of the rumour and the phantom security reports are only crying wolf where there was none.

In an address read by His Royal Highness, Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran, on behalf of the  monarchs, they expressed their approval of the governor’s leadership style, saying since he arrived the state, he has given it a new lease of life. Aromolaran said: “We view with disgust rumours by some people. It is a lie. We are the custodians of the grassroots. All the allegations are false. We say without equivocation that the generality of the people are with you. Since a year and half ago, the state has been peaceful. All religious groups have also denied the rumour of Islamisation of the people of the state. The welfare of the state is paramount in our mind. We pray that you will steer the ship of the state to happy isle.”

Responding, Aregbesola stated that if not for the intervention of God, the state would have been engulfed in crisis of immense proportion by now. He thanked the traditional rulers for their unflinching support not only during these trying times but always. He also commended the people of the state their steadfastness and belief in his government. He said:  “But for God’s intervention, those did what they did, demonstrated that they did not mean well for the state.”

Other monarchs at the meeting include the Akirun of Ikirun, Oba Rauf Adedeji; Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun Laroye;  Oragun of Ila Orangun, Oba Wahab Oyedotun; Olobu of Ilobu, Oba Ashiru Olatoye; Olufon of Ifon-Osun, Oba Moruf Magbagbeola and others.