By Opeyemi Adelakun
The All Progressives Congress in Osun State has raised fresh concerns over pre-election security in the state, alleging that Dele Ayegbo, nephew of the party’s governorship campaign Director-General, Wole Oke, was shot dead in Esa-Oke.
The party said Ayegbo was killed on Wednesday night in the Idofin area of Esa-Oke, Obokun Local Government Area, as political tension continues to mount ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
The allegation was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the Osun APC spokesperson, Kola Olabisi.
According to Olabisi, Ayegbo was attacked by gunmen who allegedly arrived in a vehicle and opened fire near a road junction close to his residence.
The party alleged that another APC member was also shot during the incident and taken to an undisclosed hospital for treatment.
Olabisi condemned the reported attack and urged the police to immediately investigate the circumstances surrounding Ayegbo’s death.
He described the incident as “one death too many”, insisting that those responsible must be identified and brought to justice.
The APC further alleged that more than 30 of its members had been killed in political attacks across Osun State since 2022, claiming that Ijesaland accounted for 17 of the alleged deaths.
The party also accused political opponents of using violence to intimidate its supporters ahead of Saturday’s election, alleging that the attacks were intended to discourage APC members from participating in the electoral process.
“The purpose is to scare away our members and supporters from exercising their civic responsibility on Saturday,” Olabisi said.
The APC called on the Osun State Police Command to intensify security operations and urgently investigate the latest incident, particularly given the proximity of the alleged killing to the governorship poll.
However, the allegation had not been independently confirmed by the police as of the time of filing this report.
Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Osun State Police Command were unsuccessful, as its spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, had not responded to enquiries on the incident.
The development comes amid heightened political activity in Osun, where incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party.
The APC and the Accord Party have in recent weeks traded allegations and accusations as the August 15 governorship election draws closer, raising concerns over the security of voters, political parties and election personnel.
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