The Conference of Ogun APC Youth Leaders, an umbrella body of the youth leaders in the Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Youth Congress, has told the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, that a former Governor of the State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has “documented history of violence”.
The youth leaders levelled the allegation in a petition dated May 2, 2022 to the IG, which was sighted on Tuesday in Lagos.
The petition followed news of the proposed protests by some human rights activists, whom the youth leaders alleged are being sponsored by Amosun, in the state.
They therefore asked Baba to stop the protest and call to order Amosun, the representative of the Ogun Central Senatorial District.
The petition, jointly signed by the Ogun State APC Youth Leader, Comrade Aremu Babatunde; Deputy State Youth Leader, Adefolu Sabur; Ogun East Senatorial District Youth Leader, Adesina Lawal Olayinka; Ogun West Senatorial District Youth Leader; and Ogun Central Senatorial District Youth Leader, Comrade Adeniyi Clement Adebayo, said there is an imminent breach of peace and order if the planned protests is allowed to go on either in Abuja or Ogun State as the former Governor has a history of political violence and gun-running well documented and in the public space
The letter, titled: “Notice Of Impending And Possible Breach Of Public Peace At The National Secretariat Of The All Progressives Congress (APC) Abuja And In Ogun State By Senator Ibikunle Amosun,” reads in part: “We humbly write to notify you of an impending, imminent and possible violent protest being planned by some politically motivated persons under the guise of ‘Human Rights Activists’, against Prince Dapo Abiodun MFR, the Governor of Ogun State.
“We have it on good authority that the plan is being desperately championed by a former Governor of Ogun State and a current Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
“Their plan is to present a baseless and spurious petition to the National Chairman (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, alleging Prince Dapo Abiodun of frivolous allegations and seeking for his disqualification in the gubernatorial contest in 2023, which the Governor had shown and expressed his interest in contesting.
“The plan to storm the APC Secretariat is borne out of the sheer hatred for the incumbent governor whose three years of good performance has dwarfed the eight years of the vague performance of his predecessor in office. Hence, the resort to pull the Governor down by all means.
“It is noteworthy that the said ex-Governor is also sponsoring campaign of calumny against Prince Dapo Abiodun using social media nonentities to cast aspersions and unfounded allegations against the Governor.
“Their mischievous plan after the proposed Abuja protest is to replicate same in Abeokuta and other parts of Ogun State.
“Ogun State has been peaceful since the assumption of office of the present Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun. Any attempt to take us back to the better-forgotten era of political brigandage and broad day political violence will, predictably, be resisted by the good people of Ogun State.
“The Senator sponsoring the impostors, posing as rights activists, has a history of political violence and gun-running well documented and are in the public space. We have not forgotten how President Muhammadu Buhari and APC leaders were stoned during APC presidential campaign rally on February 11, 2019 at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta.
“Many of the victims of that inglorious stoning of Mr. President by members of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), a party formed and still being financed by the immediate past Governor, are still licking their wounds that are yet to heal. Any further act of shenanigan by this politician who was once suspended by our party, even as a sitting Governor, will most probably reopen the old wounds.
“Sir, we humbly conclude that this letter of alert by reference to Section 4 of the Police Act which states thus: ‘The police shall be employed for the prevention and detection of crimes, the apprehension of offenders, the preservation of law and order, the protection of life and property and the due enforcement of all laws and regulation with which they are directly charged.’
“Consequent upon the foregoing, we humbly appeal to you to use your good offices in nipping this impending, deliberate and imminent politically sponsored protests, which may lead to the breach of public peace in the bud, by urgent investigation into this evil plan and calling the senator and his hired activists to order.
“Sir, remember ‘a stitch in time, saves nine.’”