By Shina Abubakar Osogbo

The ruling Accord party in Osun State and the All Progressives Congress, APC, been involved in accusation and counter accusation over destruction of campaign bill board and promotional materials ahead of the governorship election in the State.

The Imole campaign council in a statement by its Spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi on Friday stated that the APC is using a thug with security protection to destroy promotional materials of Governor Ademola Adeleke.

He said the governor’s campaign materials were destroyed in Irewole, Ayedaade, Ife, Irepodun, Oriade and Osogbo Local Governments council areas of the State, calling on the Inspector General of Police to probe the incident as it is not suitable for the peaceful state ahead of the poll.

His words, “The people of Osun State must begin to pay close attention to the desperation currently consuming the Osun APC. Having failed to inspire the people with any meaningful agenda or alternative vision for governance, and being overwhelmed by the massive acceptance Governor Ademola Adeleke continues to enjoy across the state, the APC and its operatives now appear determined to embrace intimidation, violence, destruction of opposition materials, and fear tactics as a political strategy.

“This is not ordinary politics. This is a direct threat to democratic engagement, political freedom, and peaceful participation in the electoral process.

“We therefore call on the Inspector General of Police to immediately order a full investigation into these coordinated attacks and ensure that all persons involved, including their sponsors and collaborators, are identified and prosecuted in accordance with the law”.

However, the APC in a statement issued by the campaign council Media and Publicity committee Chairman, Remi Omowaye said the said bill board destruction was sponsored by the state government to divert attention from the ongoing fraud investigation against the Accountant-General of the state and some top officials of the administration.

He added that the Accord party was crying foul, saying it is the campaign bill board and promotional materials of Mr Bola Oyebamiji AMBO that is being destroyed by political thugs visibly linked to the Osun State Government and its “sanguinary” Accord Party.

“We state unequivocally that this allegation is false, baseless, and a desperate attempt to “hang a dog in order to give it a bad name.” If anything, it is the campaign billboards and promotional materials of our governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO), that have suffered relentless destruction at the hands of political thugs visibly linked to the Osun State Government and its sanguinary Accord Party.

“This latest falsehood, self-vandalizing billboard and turning around to blame our party, is another diversionary tactic from the coven of economic buccaneers feeding fat on the resources of Osun State, whose sole objective is to distract public attention from the monumental failures and corruption allegations trailing the Adeleke administration.

“These officials are reportedly being investigated over the alleged mismanagement of federal allocations and special intervention funds accrued to the state in the last three years.

“Specifically, there are allegations bordering on the diversion and expenditure without appropriation of the N14.9 billion ecological fund meant for victims of rainstorms and floods, diversion of the N2 billion Federal Government grant intended for the procurement of modern buses, as well as the alleged diversion of over N100 billion belonging to local governments in Osun State”, he added.