Osun Civil Societies Coalition on Tuesday denied reporting Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, to the President, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), over the recent shooting incident in Osogbo.
The group also declared that Osun was no longer a safe state that it used to be, citing growing trend of insecurity with a side attraction of political violence.
Although when asked for details of those that signed the petition sent to the President against Aregbesola, the group refused to disclosed their identities, but investigation by our correspondent revealed that one Ayo Ologun, the spokesperson of Transparent and Accountability Group, was one of the nine signatories to the petition.
Addressing newsmen in Osogbo, Vice Chairman OCSC, Wole Folaranmi, dissociated the coalition from the said petition, saying it was politically motivated for pecuniary gains.
Folaranmi further alleged that the individuals behind the petition were hurriedly put together by political elements who needed the service of available, corruptible civil society groups to drive their selfish interest.
He said, “The attention of Osun Civil Societies Coalition (OCSC) has been drawn to a press conference and a petition sent to President Muhammadu Buhari on political violence in Osun State and the recent gun duel between some suspected political thugs and security agents attached to the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, by some individuals who claimed to speak on behalf of “Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Osun State.”
“To start with, Osun Civil Societies Coalition (OCSC) does not know anything about the press conference and the petition sent to the President with the heading: “Dangerous and Socially Irresponsible Actions Of The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.”
“We state categorically that all the people and organisations listed as signatories to the petition are not members of Osun Civil Societies Coalition. Therefore, we dissociate ourselves from the press conference and the said petition.”
Lamenting growing insecurity in the state, Folaranmi recalled recent declaration of curfew by Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, because of the incessant armed robbery in the city, as well as, restriction of movement in Iree town because of violent crimes in the community.
He also listed cult clashes in Ede and Ilesa towns and called on security agencies in the state to act fast in restoring the lost glory of Osun as one of the safest states in Nigeria.
Petition not written on behalf of Civil Societies Coalition – Ologun
When contacted for reaction, Ologun said he was one of the signatories to the petition, adding that the petition was not written on behalf of Osun Civil Societies Coalition as claimed.
Ologun said, “I signed the petition to the presidency on behalf of TAG and that is premised on one ground. Before now, TAG has asked questions as regards the Ido Osun Airport, we have asked questions about different roads done under Aregbesola, we have asked about the debt profile under Aregbesola which have not been responded to over time.
“It was on that premise I sought the opinion of TAG members. In fact we deliberated over it for more than 2 hours. When I got the copy of the petition, I sent it to other members of the group to read. I am not going to deny that anywhere. I signed the petition on behalf of my group. It was not only the presidency that the petition was sent to.
“It was sent to the presidency, National Assembly, all the three Senators from Osun have copies of the petition, all members of House of Representatives have copies, Code of Conduct Bureau have a copy, APC National Secretariat also have a copy. There was no where the name Osun Civil Societies Coalition was mentioned in the petition. No.” (Punch)
