Governor Adegboyega Oyetola(Governor, Osun State)
Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, has directed the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker Chairman in the state, Mr Gboyega Famodun, to discontinue a court case instituted against some members of a faction within the party.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ismail Omipidan, on Tuesday in Osogbo.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Chairman of the faction, The Osun Progressives, Mr Lowo Adebiyi, and six others were on Monday, arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrates’ Court for alleged conspiracy and assault.
According to the charges, the defendants were alleged to have on August 14 at about 1.30 p.m at Ogo Oluwa, Osogbo conspired to commit assault occasioning harm.
The charge sheet stated that the defendants thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the criminal code cap 34 vol. II laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
The defendants were also alleged to have at the same location and time, assaulted one Hamsat Babatunde, by hitting him with a stone on the head, causing him harm.
By this second act, they also committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 355 of the criminal code, cap 34 vol. II, laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
NAN recalled that there were clashes between supporters of the state governor, Adegboyega Oyetola and those of Rauf Aregbesola, the Minister of Interior at the APC state secretariat in Osogbo on August 14.
The clash occurred during the sitting of the Appeal Committee hearing petitions arising from the last ward congress of the party in the state.
Oyetola, who condemned the clash directed the party’s chairman to withdraw the complaints and take necessary measures to discontinue the matter.
“The governor, who was away when the incident occurred had, in the wake of the crisis, directed security operatives to take charge of the party secretariat to prevent any further breakdown of law and order.
“He had also condemned what he termed the unruly behaviour exhibited by some aggrieved members of the party at the APC secretariat in Osogbo.
“However, upon his return to the state on Monday, Oyetola summoned an emergency meeting of the party stakeholders and insisted that as members of the same family, whatever differences that existed could be resolved without necessary resorting to litigation.
“The governor, who sympathised with individuals who sustained injuries during the fracas, appealed to party members not to resort to self help whenever there were disagreements among them.
“The invasion of the party secretariat by armed thugs stands condemned as no sane society will condone the resort to self help in settling disagreements within a family.
“But as the Governor, I have directed our party chairman to discontinue the matter in the interest of peace and harmony within the party,” the statement elaborated.
