From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo Federal Constituency has raised the alarm over indiscriminate arrest of its leaders and members by policemen in connivance with the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
This was disclosed at the end of an emergency meeting of APC leaders from the four local governments that constitute the federal constituency held in Oyo town.
Spokesman for the leaders’ forum, Mr. Ayedara Oluade, told reporters that no fewer than 20 party leaders and the chairman of Oyo-West Local Government, Soji Ojoawo, had been arrested by the Police on the orders of the PDP for no cogent reasons and whisked away to Ibadan, the state capital.
Oluade, who condemned the clampdown on the APC leaders and members, warned that “arbitrary use of security agencies by the PDP to harass, intimidate and victimise the progressives opposition is an ill-wind that will blow no one any good.’’
“It would be recalled that security operatives last month arrested the Chairman, Oyo-West Local Government, Mr. Soji Ojo-Awo, in connection with the pulling down of the billboard of the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate, Senator Teslim Folarin, which was erected in front of the local government secretariat late in the night. Despite his insistence that he knew nothing about the billboard destruction and that it was wrong and improper for the
opposition political billboard to be erected at the entrance of the council secretariat at Ojongbondu, Ojo-Awo was detained like a criminal.’’
He said the council chairman, who was released the following day due to the intervention of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, was re-arrested last Friday and detained till Sunday evening.
Oluade further hinted that the intervention of Governor Abiola Ajimobi, through his Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, saved the situation before the council chairman could regain his freedom.
“We heard it from good authority that the police action was not unconnected with recent statement credited to the new Commissioner of Police that all politicians with history of violence would be arrested and interrogated. Be that as it may, does it mean only the progressive oppositions have history of violence? Any proof of onus that the APC leaders arrested by the police have history of violence, or mere acting of PDP’s hatchet plans?”
