Osun election: APC alleges assassination of campaign DG’s nephew

Tension has heightened in Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election following an allegation by the All Progressives Congress that Dele Ayegbo, nephew of the party’s campaign Director-General, Wole Oke, was killed in Esa-Oke.

 

The Osun APC spokesperson, Kola Olabisi, in a statement on Thursday, said Ayegbo was allegedly shot dead on Wednesday night near his residence in the Idofin area of Esa-Oke, Obokun Local Government Area.

 

According to the party, suspected hoodlums travelling in a vehicle carried out the attack.

 

Olabisi alleged that Ayegbo was killed at a road junction close to his residence, while another APC member who was reportedly targeted in the attack sustained gunshot injuries and was taken to an undisclosed hospital.

 

“The killing of the nephew of our campaign Director-General in Esa-Oke is one death too many which must be urgently unravelled by the police in the interest of fairness and justice,” he said.

 

The APC spokesperson alleged that more than 30 party members had been killed by political thugs across the state since 2022, with Ijesaland accounting for 17 of the reported deaths.

 

He urged the Osun State Police Command to investigate the incident and take immediate steps to prevent further violence ahead of Saturday’s election.

 

Olabisi also alleged that the attack was intended to intimidate APC supporters and discourage them from participating in the election.

 

“The purpose is to scare away our members and supporters from exercising their civic responsibility on Saturday,” he said.

 

However, the police had not officially confirmed the killing at the time of filing the report. Attempts to obtain a response from the Osun State Police Command spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, were unsuccessful.

 

The allegation comes amid heightened political tension in Osun, with the APC and supporters of the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking re-election on the Accord platform, trading accusations ahead

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of the August 15 poll.