OSUN DECIDES:The Intrigues.

                                                                                  APC spokesman, Lai Mohammed, Osun lawmakers, others arrested.
…As Dusk clampdown on leaders begin ahead of Saturday poll

A major clampdown and shooting spree around the homes of leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) began at nightfall on Friday with armed and masked security agents surrounded and invadeed their homes with sporadic shootings to strike terror into their households and neighbours.
The Government Reservation Area home of Senator Bayo Salami was invaded by armed soldiers and security agents at midnight while the country home of the first civilian Governor of Osun State, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke was not spared of the invasion.
The entrance gate of Salami’s house was forced open by the hooded security agents who fired sporadically to gain entrance into the sprawling compound to arrest him.
The National Publicity Secretary of APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the State Secretary of APC, Prince Gboyega Famoodun were also invaded at midnight by armed soldiers.
Already, the State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Sikiru Adetona Ayedun, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Wale Adedoyin,, the Executive Secretary of Osogbo Local Government, Mr. Isiaka Faramade, the House of Assembly member representing Obokun and Ilesa State Constituencies, Hon. Femi Fafiyebi and Folarin Fafowora have all been arrested by armed soldiers and hooded security agents from their homes on Friday night.
APC agents in Ifelodun and Ede South Local Governments have been arrested at the time of distribution of election materials by officials of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) while those of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were excluded.
The Ede South Local Government chairman of APC, Alhaji Surajudeed Opalola was also arrested by the security agents who were led by by the Youth Leadr of PDP in the council

Also arrested and whisked to the office of the the SSS was Mr. Sunday Dare a communication expert.

Spokesman of the APC, Kunle Oyatomi, in a swift reaction, said the wave of arrests and intimidation would further deepen defeat of the PDP.

“It is a shame this is happening. This is democracy and our people are resolute on electing the leader they can trust,” Oyatomi said.

APC decries indiscriminate arrest of students in Ilesha.

Reports reaching the Situation Room of All Progressive Congress in Osun said a Poeples Democratic Party (PDP) has been arresting students of the College of education, Ilesha.

The arrest, it was gathered is being spearheaded by the former Minister of Defence (State) Erelu Obada, who also hails form Ilesha.

Obada is reportedly leading uniformed security men to arrest the students, who are sympathisers of the APC, around Imala Area of the town near the school campus.

More than 30 of the students leaders were said to have been arrested and whisked away by thesoldiers. The names of some of the student leaders include: Awowole Samuel, President, National Association of Nigerian Students, College of Ilesha Chapter, Dada Oluseyi, Ogunmode Suraju, Odutola Olaniyi  and others.

Besides, Obada is also going round the town arresting APC supporters ahead of the elections.

No reason has been given for the ongoing clampown in the town by the PDP except the APC supporters.

APC therefore condemns in strong terms the unwarranted provocation of its members across the state.

The part also call on the security agencies not to show partisanship to any of the parties as it is being demonstarted now where security men now do the bidding of the PDP.

Leave Osun now! APC tells Obanikoro, Uba 

The Osun Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked the Minister of Defence (State) Musiliu Obanikoro and former Domestic aide to President Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr. Chris Uba, to leave the state forthwith.

The party, in a statement by its Director of Publicity, Barrister Kunle Oyatomi, said the two PDP chieftains have been involved in fraudulent  plans to upturn people’s will.

The party said that the people of the state will not condone the shenanigans of the PDP all in attempt to subvert the election or rig it in their favour.

The statement also said Obanikoro has been going round distributing money and collecting cards from unsuspected voters, which they will clone and distributed to their own party men.

The party observed that the order of the Acting Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, to the effect that any individual, who has no business in the election of the state should leave the state’s territory immediately.

The party thus described the continued stay in Osun by Obanikoro and Uba as a violation of the order of the Ag. IGP.

The statement said: “We perceive the continued stay of Musiliu Obanikoro and Chris Uba fraudulent, uncalled for and in violation of electoral act that any one who is not a stakeholder in an election within a territorial space has no business being present in that territory.

“Therefore, since Obanikoro and Uba are from Lagos and Anambra respectively, they do not have any reason to be present in Osun, more so less than 24 hours before the start of election.

“We are abreast of all PDP’s plan to undermine the will of the people through free and fair election and the role of Obanikoro as the head of rigging machine of the PDP.

“We therefore call on the Inspector General of Police to call on the PDP to tell their party men to proceed out of Osun now as their continued stay constitute danger to a free and fair conduct of election in Osun.”

APC condemns moves to free INEC officials arrested with loaded ballot boxes
The All Progressives Congress has warned against the illegal release of two officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission arrested late Thursday night with ballot boxes.
Residents of Ibokun, in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun had apprehended two officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission over illegal movement of boxes with ballot papers already thump-printed.
The officials were apprehended in the town by vigilant residents who had trailed the Hilux van with Federal Government marked registration number after suspecting it was carrying sensitive election materials.
Leaders of the APC who raced down to the scene had insisted that the officials along with the vehicle, must be brought to the State headquarters of the police in Osogbo for the content of the boxes to be opened.
The Situation Room of the All Progressives Congress reports that there are allegations that the Police Minister, Jelili Adesiyan has instructed the police high command to release the vehicle and the officials.
The Situation Room, in a statement by Director of Publicity, Kunle Oyatomi, insisted that the content of the boxes must be ripped open for Nigerians to see the degree of rigging plans of the PDP.
“Already, we know there is pressure on the police officers at the State CID to release the vehicle and the officials but the people are there watching.
“The APC also wishes to warn the police against this unbridled bias against the wishes of the people of Osun.”
Court Restrains Police, DSS, PDP from Arresting Osun APC Chieftains
An Osun State High Court sitting in Ile-Ife has restrained security operatives in the country from arresting and witch-hunting leaders of the All Progressive Congress in the state.
Justice A. Abdulkareem while granting the application of the leadership of the APC in suit number HIF/M.32/2014 against the inspector General of Police, Assistant Inspector General zone XI, Director General of DSS, the Commissioner of Police Osun State Command and the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, affirmed that there is urgent need to grant the prayer of the applicants, having carefully examined the evidence attached to the application.
The judge disclosed that any delay in granting the said application would amount to injustice or defeat the end of justice.
The respondents, according to the ruling, are restricted against arresting, threatening or intimidating the following persons; Senator Isiaka Adeleke, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, Mr Gbenga Adebusuyi, Barrister Wale Afolabi, Mr Sunday Akere, Dr. Wale Bolorunduro and Senator Bayo Salami.
Among those restricted from being arrested including the Federal lawmakers from the state among whom are; Senator Babajide Omoworare, Senator (Professor) Olusola Adeyeye, Senator Mudasiru Hussein, Honourables Rotimi Makinde, Adetunji Ajagbe, Lasun Yusuf, Kayode Salami, Barrister Waliu Salimoni, Dr. Joel Olasunkanmi Anwo and Senator Felix Ogunwale.
Similarly in the list are Mr. Kunle Ige, Barrister Ajibola Basiru, Barrister Kolapo Alimi, Alhaji Fatai Diekola, Mr. Adekunle Amos, Mr. Layiwola Oyeduntan, Mr. Bisi Odewumi, Engineer Oladepo Amudah, Mr. Muyiwa Ige, Prince Gboyega Famodun, Barrister Jimoh Akano, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi and the APC state chairman, Elder Adelowo Adebiyi.
Others are; Mr. Sikiru Ayedun, Mr. Mudashiru Toogun, Comrade Biyi Odunlade, Mr. Segun Omoworare, Mr Festus Agunbiade, Mr. Bosun Oyintiloye, Otunba Jumoke Ogunkeyede, Alhaji Tijani Oladosu, Mrs Tawa Williams, Mr. Sola Oladepo and Barrister T.S. Adegboyega.
The above persons sued the respondents on behalf of themselves and other leaders of the party in the state and sought the order of the court restraining the respondent or its representatives or agents from inviting or threatening them pending the conduct of Saturday gubernatorial poll in the state.
Nigerians must know President Jonathan is directing military, security officers to rig Osun poll.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State of Osun has found it necessary to alert members of the public and the entire international community of the direct orders which President Goodluck Jonathan has been issuing to military and security officers handling the Osun electoral security affairs to ensure that votes are not counted at voting units but at collation centres.
We received credible information from usually reliable sources that President Jonathan had since last Thursday been mounting pressures on unit commanders of different security arms already deployed to Osun to disallow the counting of votes cast by the electorate at the polling units.
The sources further revealed to us that the Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and his colleague in Police Affairs Ministry, Jelili Adesiyan, had also been prodding the military and police officers to ensure that the orders of President Jonathan must be complied with.
Several protestations of the officers bordering on professionalism and time tested value of honour and respect for civil populace and democratic choice of the people fell on deaf ears.
This development is at variance with public proclamations of President Jonathan on his desire for a free and fair election in Nigeria.
If in public, President Jonathan is professing his saintly commitment to democracy but is privately muzzling the military, security and paramilitary forces to trample on the democratic rights and choices of the people all in his bid to satisfy his political party at the expense of the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and in public, his inconsistency between words and action can only signify an evil intention to trample on Nigeria.
We urge all military officers to abide by their oath of loyalty to Federal Republic of Nigeria, the 1999 Constitution and the ethics of their services to follow the law no matter whose ox is gored.
There is a difference between loyalty to the nation and loyalty to the men who are occupying leadership positions in the land.
The Nigerian Electoral Law is clear on how the election should be conducted. Observance of this law must be strict and total. Any partial compliance with the law is absolute lawlessness that must be discouraged in the interest of our dear country, Nigeria.
Osun election must not be allowed to be whimsically manipulated by desperate political operators desperate to impose their will on the people rather than allowing the democratic will of the people to prevail.
Police choppers haul cash to Osogbo.
A bizarre scenario was witnessed early Thursday morning when three cash-laden helicopters landed on the play field of the Government Technical College, Osogbo to the consternation of members of the public who witnessed the spectacle.
The choppers belonging to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) landed at about 10.00 am under tight security bearing with it cartons of cash for distribution to interested persons who obviously were aware of its coming in advance.
More than one hundred people gathered around the choppers and were heard discussing in hushed tones that they were waiting to be given the money in the craft.
This drew the attention of more people who stood on the opposite side of the dual carriageway to behold what was going on.
Speculations were rife yesterday that the Police helicopters were used to haul cash meant to prosecute the next Saturday’s election.
At the time of filing this report, the Police helicopters were still parked on the field while some young ladies were seen guarding the choppers.
UPDATE:

PDP in a meeting with Corps member to perfect rigging in osun-APC

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressive Party (APC) on Thursday disclosed that it has it on good authority that some Youth Corps Me‎mbers were given instructions by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on how to perfect rigging in the Saturday election to favour the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate.
The APC in a statement signed by the party Chairman and the Publicity Secretary, Elder Adelowo Adebiyi and Publicity Secretary, Kunle Oyatomi said a meeting at Ayedaade Grammar School in Ikire had corps member that will serve in Ikire Federal Constituency tutored on how to handle the ballot papers to favour rigging.
The party stressed that corps members were instructed to fold all ballot papers vertically before they are handed over to eligible voters
APC also added that it gathered on good authority that INEC ad hoc staff have also been instructed to, on the day of election, mount a barricade round their tables.
The statement revealed that the instruction that the operational tables of the INEC officials should be cordoned off and fenced from the people will afford people coming with cloned voters cards the opportunity to vote.
According to APC, “We have been informed of the meeting that was conducted in Ayedaade Grammar school today on how youth corps members should fold ballot papers vertically before they give them to voters, and when they asked for the reason for that, they were told that it is because of the ink.
“This has confirmed that there is something wrong with the ballot paper they are using. Why will they be doing that? Why should you not allow the party agents to sit with INEC staff so that they can see what is going on there.
“PDP has perfected their strategy to rig in 1,195 units spreading across 155 wards, they have identified where they are going to do this with about 406,116 votes.
“Their plan is also to make sure that their is not going to be problems during accreditation and voting, it will be during sorting and counting that they will create crises so that the men of the Department of State Service (DSS) who are in possession of the already thumb printed ballot papers will use the opportunity to seal the deal”.the APC revealed.
The party’s Situation Room added that the PDP has finally found in the Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Prof. Bamitale Omole to announce at all cost Iyiola Omisore as the winner of the election with a promise of rewarding him with a cash prize of 1Billion naira.
APC also pointed out that DSS men who are able to perfect their plans at units and ward level have been promised to be compensated adequately.
UPDATE 1:
Ahead of Osun rigging by PDP, Jonathan re-deploys 3 Area Commanders……replaces them with wife’s security head
The Osun State chapter of the All Progressive Party (APC) has on Thursday disclosed that it has it on a reliable authority that the 3 Area commanders serving in have been ordered by the Nigeria Police headquarters to immediately return to Abuja.
In a statement signed by the party’s spokesman, Barr.  Kunle Oyatomi the party said that the Area Commanders redeployment stemmed from the desperation by the PDP-led Federal Government to subvert the will of the people in the in the August 9 election.
APC added that the head of Mobile police attached to the convoy of the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Don Mike Adeniji has been deployed to coordinate the preferred actions of the Area Commanders.
“We have uncovered yet another plan by the Federal government to take Osun over unlawfully. They have ordered back to Abuja the area Commanders due to what they termed as not being brutal enough in Osun.
“The instruction given to them was that they must find their ways to Abuja this night, and should they not make it, they must not sleep in the Osun territory.
“Mike Adeniji who work for Patience Jonathan who will be in charge of the election has been ordered to shoot at any APC members who display any resistance against his unlawful operation in the state”. The APC stressed.
UPDATE 2:

In spite of Mr. President’s assurances, bullion vans brought ballot papers secretly to PDP office from Abuja

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Party (APC) today has alleged a surreptitious  and criminal transportation of millions of ballot papers into Osun with a bullion van by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Abuja on Wedneday.

A statement entitled: “In Spite of Mr President’s Assurances, We Still Have Shenanigans,” and signed by the party Chairman, Elder Adelowo Adebiyi and the Director of Publicity, Barr Kunle Oyatomi,  said the bullion van was parked at the PDP secretariat until the wee hours of today (Thursday) before it was taken into an unknown destination.

This ballot papers, the party stated, was brought in preparatory to thumbprinting them at a Catholic School in Ife Odan and then surreptitiously to be added to the party’s tally in all wards and councils in Saturday’s election.

The Statement also added that there are credible information to the effect that vehicles belonging to the Federal Roads Safety Commission (FRSC) are to be used for the distribution of the ballot papers to the selected areas where the PDP plans to use them to subvert the wishes of the people.

The statement noted that the crude method PDP is adoting is completely contrary to the assurance President Goodluck Jonathan gave to the people of Osun that the election wil be free and fair in all ramifications.The party thus condemned in strong terms the desperate act of sabotage by the PDP aimed at winning election at all cost.

The statement said inter alia: “We condemn this subterfuge in its entirety. It is an act of desperation and a cynical vote of no confidence on the democratic process and the inalienable right of the people to freely choose their leaders.

“President Goodluck Jonathan assured the people of Osun last Saturday of his commitment to free and fair election and disavowal of rigging and electoral fraud.

“The evidence before us now is to the contrary. Mr President should be true to his words and rein in his party members, who appear hell bent to truncate our hard earned democracy, if they fail in their diabolical bid to rule the state at all cost.

“The PDP must know that the people of Osun are determined to have only their votes counted and to make only their votes count. They are willing on Saturday to let the whole world know that the only way in a democracy to acquire political power is to win their hearts and minds.”

Meanwhile, the party warned all stakeholders in volved in conduct of the election, particularly the security agencies and the ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to be above board before, during and after the election process.

It also called on the people of the state to be on the look out and sentitive to all activities in their areas and report any suspicious movement to the appropriate quartres for quick intervention.

The statement continued: “We are therefore urging security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and especially the people of the affected area, to be vigilant and be on the lookout for suspicious activities, which may be tantamount to subversion of  our hard-earned democracy.

“Our people must also ensure that such subverssive activities should not be condoned or allowed to happen in their precinct.”source:NIGERIAPOLITICSONLINE.