Tensions have flared between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Adeleke-led government in Osun State concerning the recent Osun-Osogbo festival incident that resulted in deaths.
The APC has criticized Governor Ademola Adeleke for his perceived lack of response to the fatalities that occurred during the festival.
In a statement issued by the Osun APC and signed by its chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, the party expressed its disappointment that the State government had not issued an official statement addressing the tragic events.
The clash during the grand finale of the festival led to the loss of three lives and numerous injuries.
The party’s statement condemned the involvement of non-state actors, which led to the violent encounter and subsequent casualties.
The Osun APC alleged that the incident stemmed from a rivalry between two opposing cultist groups within the entourage of the governor.
According to the statement, a reliable source connected to the festival revealed that in addition to the cultist-related deaths, two other individuals drowned in the Osun River during the celebrations.
The party criticized Governor Adeleke for his perceived silence on the matter and accused him of associating with armed thugs, some of whom are on the police’s wanted list.
The statement also referenced past elections, suggesting that the PDP’s political hoodlums were responsible for the deaths of several APC members.
The Osun APC called for a thorough investigation by the police and other security agencies into the killings and demanded that the Adeleke administration provide an explanation for its lack of response.
In response, the state’s Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Bankole Ojo, advised the APC to refrain from petty politics and avoid exploiting the situation for their own gain.
He cautioned against using human lives as political pawns and criticized the opposition party’s attempt to connect confrontations between cultural groups to the Adeleke-led government.
Ojo explained that while the festival was generally successful, clashes emerged between certain traditional groups after the cultural rites were completed.
He emphasized that security agencies were investigating the matter and cautioned against spreading false information.
The commissioner reassured that the State government would continue to support and preserve the Osun-Osogbo World Heritage Site, highlighting its significance as a cultural and tourist attraction.