Osun Rep denies involvement in Accord party member's murder

A Nigerian federal lawmaker has vehemently denied accusations that he and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), were involved in the killing of an Accord Party member. Oluwole Oke, a member of the House of Representatives, was accused by the spokesperson for the Osun State Governor's Campaign Organisation, Pelumi Olajengbesi, of orchestrating the fatal shooting of Ajayi Aderogba.

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Just yesterday, while we were preparing for a political programme in Esa Oke, Wole Oke made several efforts to frustrate the programme and prevent it from holding.

Aderogba was shot dead in Esa Oke, Obokun Local Government Area, while preparations were underway for a political rally supporting Governor Ademola Adeleke's re-election bid. Olajengbesi alleged that Oke made efforts to disrupt the event, leading to the attack on Aderogba, whom he described as a committed supporter of the governor and the Accord Party.

However, Oke, through his media aide Tunde Omolebi-Sunday, dismissed the claims as false and misleading. He expressed shock and sadness over the death and extended condolences to the bereaved family. Oke criticized Olajengbesi for making unverified allegations before any investigation concluded, calling such statements irresponsible for a legal practitioner.

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Such conclusions, made without any credible investigation or report from security agencies, are not only premature but deeply irresponsible. As a legal practitioner, he ought to understand the primacy of evidence, due process, and responsible public communication.

The lawmaker insisted that neither he nor the APC had any connection to the incident. He urged security agencies to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation, noting that preliminary community accounts suggested the killing might have stemmed from clashes between rival groups or potential reprisal attacks. Oke called for political actors and residents to allow the authorities to work professionally without making premature statements.

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We therefore firmly state that Hon. Oluwole Oke and the APC have no connection whatsoever to the death of Ajayi Rogba. Any attempt to link them to this tragic occurrence without substantiated evidence is false, misleading, and must be rejected.