Encomium
‘They should go to hell’
‘You’re afraid of your shadow’ – APC
THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the Saturday, August 9, 2014 gubernatorial election in the state of Osun, Senator Iyiola Omisore has challenged his critics, especially the leaders of All Progressives Congress to report him to the police if his use of masked gunmen is a threat to the security situation in the state, instead of fighting him on the pages of newspapers. He added that there is no iota of truth in the speculations being fuelled by APC that he has hidden agenda, which informed his use of masked guards.
Speaking with ENCOMIUM Weekly on Thursday, July 10, 2014, via his Director of Publicity, Mr. Diran Odeyemi, Omisore expressed total displeasure over what he described as undue criticisms of his lifestyle. He added that those condemning him for parading alternative security men other than the police or SSS officers for his protection should go to hell.
“I don’t know what their problem is. APC leaders are only being jittery. Aregbesola in particular is afraid because of the outcome of Ekiti guber polls. That’s why he and his party men keep coming up with all sorts of ways of creating a kind of disaffection between Omisore and the people of Osun. If not, what does the use of masked guards have to do with election manipulation as being alleged by Aregbesola and his people?
“They are accusing us of using masked security men, what of their commissioner that was arrested recently for recruiting the Niger-Delta militants for the purpose of August 9 election? What of their thugs called ‘State Boys’? We have petitioned the police and the SSS to investigate the matter and deal with the so-called State Boys.
“They should just shut up. And if they feel that they are affected by Omisore’s use of masked gunmen, they should just report to the police instead of blabbing on the pages of newspapers or television. All I know is that Aregbesola’s tenure has ended in Osun State. He can’t win again.”
ENCOMIUM Weekly’s efforts to speak to Aregbesola via his Director of Bureau de Publicity, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon were futile as all the calls put through his mobile phone were not picked. We also sent him a text message, all to no avail.
However, an APC chieftain, Wole Adegbenjo who reacted on the issue on Monday, July 14, 2014, discredited Omisore’s use of unknown security men as his guards. He added that the Ife-born politician is only afraid of being paid in his coin.
“Even a mad man on the street will know that Omisore has hidden agenda. That’s why he is moving around in convoy of armed masked guards. If he doesn’t have skeleton in his cupboard, why must a governorship candidate who is seeking people’s votes be afraid of mingling with such people free.”
“Omisore and PDP want to intimidate and harass the people of Osun during the gubernatorial election, the rehearsal of which we’re all seeing now. They are the people behind the violence that occurred in Ife days back.
“If Omisore’s ways are straight, why the use of masked men for his protection? I think that should be probed.”
Meanwhile, the APC has slammed Omisore over his use of masqueraded gunmen as security guards during the ongoing electioneering campaign for the August 9, 2014 election in the state. In a statement reportedly issued in Abuja on Tuesday, July 8, 2014, by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, APC said the only reason Omisore could have resulted to hiring ‘ninjas’ for protection is because of his own shadows.
It, therefore, wondered how a man who wants to rule a state will be afraid to move freely among the same people whose votes he is canvassing, urging the PDP governorship candidate to emulate Aregbesola, who is barely distinguishable from the ordinary indigenes of the state.
“Every month, Aregbesola leads the people of the state in a jogging exercise on the streets, during which he mixes freely with them. Not once has a ‘ninja’ been spotted behind him in the name of security.
“During his ongoing electioneering campaign, Governor Aregbesola has continued with his tradition of being with the people without any invasive security. I think Mr. Omisore has a lot to learn from Governor Aregbesola, and should realize that being a people’s governor goes beyond a made-for-television eating of roasted corn or riding of Okada.”
-TADE ASIFAT
