Aregbesola should be law-abiding - Osun govt

17.01.2008

Osun State government has advised the Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate in the last general election, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, to learn to be law-abiding in the pursuit of his political activities.

The government’s warning was against the backdrop of Aregbesola’s statement that his safety hanged on the governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola. A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Lasisi Olagunju, said the government was aware of a press briefing Aregbesola held on Wednesday in Lagos where he made statements about “commencing political activities” in Osun State.

The government warned that nobody was above the law and as such, Aregbesola should be mindful of his actions, while no one

would be allowed to destabilise the state again. “The security import of his press briefing is not lost on us. The fact that Aregbesola was putting the public on notice on his new weird mission of “commencing political activities” in Osun State is enough to suggest that he has diabolical plans up his sleeves.

“He does not need a press conference to announce his coming to a state he wanted to govern.

“As a matter of fact, all serious politicians the world over never stop politicking and none would cry over the rooftop that he/she wants to play politics. This runaway ‘soldier’ appears to be the first in history that would contest, lose an election and abandon his supporters only to start making noise again after a year that he would ‘commence political activities.

“Let it be known to Aregbesola that he will be held personally responsible for any breach of the peace in this state as a result of his plan to commence campaign even without any election in sight. The state has been in peace since April 15, 2007,” the statement said.

The government advised him to be coming to witness the trial of his petition at the election petition tribunal in Osogbo “instead of making noise in Lagos.”

Mr. Aregbesola had allegedly, during the press conference, said Governor Oyinlola should be held responsible for any threat against his life as he returns to Osun State.

He alleged that several attempts had been made to terminate his life, which he escaped narrowly. Speaking on the present state of the state tribunal, Aregbesola commended the judiciary, adding that “there are hopes in the tribunal because the judiciary has positioned itself well such that no one should have bias mind of the judgment.”

Aregbesola alleged that the PDP had made several attempts to frustrate judgment at the tribunal through an attempt to influence its officials, adding that the party did not want the tribunal to accept evidences brought by the opposition.