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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

Osun State election campaigns marred by violence: Accord supporter killed, APC campaigner dies in crash

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • Political violence has escalated in Osun State, Nigeria, with the killing of an Accord Party supporter and a truck crash during an APC campaign that killed one party member.
  • The incidents occurred less than two months before the August 15 governorship election, heightening security concerns as campaigns intensify.
  • The Accord Party has accused the APC of sponsoring the attack, while the APC has denied involvement and called for a thorough investigation, suggesting rival group clashes.

Political tensions have flared in Nigeria's Osun State following two separate violent incidents that claimed the lives of political supporters just weeks before the August 15 governorship election. An Accord Party supporter was shot dead in Esa Oke, while a truck collision during an All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign procession in Ede tragically killed one party member and injured seven others.

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.

— Pelumi Olajengbesi, Spokesperson for The Imole Campaign Council (Accord)Accusing an APC official of orchestrating an attack.

The killing in Obokun Local Government Area involved Ajayi Aderogba, a resident of Esa Oke, who was reportedly shot by unidentified gunmen on Tuesday evening. The circumstances remain unclear, and the Osun State Police Command had not issued an official statement at the time of reporting. Residents speaking anonymously indicated Aderogba was killed while preparing for a campaign rally supporting the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party.

The twin incidents have intensified security concerns in the state, where Governor Adeleke is seeking re-election against APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, among others. The Accord Party's campaign council spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi, directly accused Oluwole Oke, an APC member of the House of Representatives and Director-General of the Osun State Governorship Campaign Council, of sponsoring the attack on Aderogba.

Rogba was gruesomely murdered because of his beliefs and political affiliation with Accord. This situation has shaken me beyond words.

— Pelumi Olajengbesi, Spokesperson for The Imole Campaign Council (Accord)Describing the impact of the killing of an Accord Party supporter.

Olajengbesi stated on Facebook that Oke had made efforts to frustrate the campaign program in Esa Oke and that Aderogba was murdered due to his political beliefs and affiliation with the Accord Party. However, Oke, through his Senior Media Aide, Tunde Omolebi-Sunday, vehemently denied any connection to the killing. He described the allegations linking him and the APC as "misleading" and called for a comprehensive investigation, suggesting preliminary accounts pointed to clashes between rival groups and potential reprisal attacks. The APC campaign director-general criticized Olajengbesi for making "hasty, unverified and inflammatory allegations" without credible investigation.

Such conclusions, made without any credible investigation or report from security agencies, are not only premature but deeply irresponsible. As a legal practitioner, he ough

— Tunde Omolebi-Sunday, Senior Media Aide to Oluwole Oke (APC)Responding to accusations linking the APC to the killing and criticizing hasty allegations.
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Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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