Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Osun State All Progressives Congress Governorship Campaign Council has launched a blistering attack on Senator Lere Oyewumi, the Deputy Minority Leader of the Senate and Director-General of the Accord Party's Imole Campaign Council, accusing him of exploiting the tragic killing of a 14-year-old boy to divert attention from unresolved investigations into the murders of two prominent APC chieftains. In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by the Head of its Media and Publicity Committee, Engr. Oluremi Omowaiye, the campaign council dismissed a planned protest by Oyewumi over the death of Ezekiel Olapade as politically motivated and devoid of any genuine concern for justice.
The teenager, Ezekiel Olapade, was killed on Sunday during a violent incident at the gate of the Irepodun Local Government Secretariat in Ilobu, Irepodun Local Government Area. His father, Olugbenga Olapade, recounted that his son was shot while trying to help his mother escape to safety. Senator Oyewumi had condemned the killing and alleged that despite the identification of the suspected leader of the gang responsible, no decisive action had been taken. He had also accused the APC and its governorship candidate, Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji, of being behind the political violence that led to the teenager's death.
However, the APC campaign council vehemently rejected what it described as Oyewumi's attempt to use the tragic incident as a "political shield" against mounting questions regarding his alleged links to previous political killings in Irewole Local Government Area. Omowaiye stated that the proposed protest was not motivated by any genuine concern for justice but was instead a desperate attempt to divert public attention from ongoing investigations into the murders of two prominent APC chieftains, Hon. Saheed Oyegunju and Hon. Remi Abass, who were killed in February 2023 and February 2025 respectively.
According to the council, Oyegunju, who served as APC Treasurer in Ward 9 of Irewole Local Government Area, was abducted and later found dead in February 2023 while travelling to an APC presidential campaign rally in Osogbo. Eyewitness accounts and video evidence indicated that he was abducted on his way to the rally, and his body was later discovered along Oosa Village via Ikire. The council claimed that allegations had persisted regarding the involvement of Oyewumi and some of his associates in the incident, and that suspects arrested in connection with the crime were later released under circumstances that continued to raise serious questions among the public and the bereaved family.
Referring to the killing of Remi Abass, the former Chairman of Irewole Local Government, who was murdered within the council secretariat in February 2025, the APC campaign council stated that reports indicated that some suspects arrested over the incident allegedly mentioned influential political figures, including Oyewumi, during investigations. The council also raised concerns over the whereabouts of Jide Joda, whom it described as a suspect linked to the murder case who allegedly absconded after being granted bail and was reportedly receiving protection from unnamed political interests, with claims that he was being housed at the Government House under Governor Ademola Adeleke. The APC further called for the arrest of other suspects, including Emir Ajagungbade and Nurudeen Alowonle.
The council maintained that it was "hypocritical" for Senator Oyewumi to lead public protests demanding justice while, according to them, unresolved questions persisted over the deaths of the two APC leaders. It urged the senator to cooperate with security agencies and make himself available for questioning over the allegations surrounding the killings, insisting that street protests could not replace accountability under the law. The council also called on the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to ensure that all suspects linked to political killings in Osun State are apprehended and prosecuted in accordance with the law, stressing that justice should be pursued for all victims of political violence, irrespective of status or political affiliation.
In a swift reaction, the media unit of Senator Lere Oyewumi issued a statement denying any wrongdoing and challenging the APC's allegations. The statement insisted that the police have never invited Senator Oyewumi in connection with the killing of anyone because he has never been associated with criminal activities. It pointed out that on the day late Remi Abass died, the senator was attending plenary proceedings in Abuja, a matter of public record. The statement further emphasised that Oyewumi's political journey has been built on hard work, consistency, and a genuine passion for public service, adding that he has won several elections without resorting to violence and that his conviction has always been that no political ambition is worth the blood of any human being.
The exchange of accusations comes just weeks before the August 15 governorship election in Osun State, heightening tensions in an already volatile political environment. The killing of the 14-year-old boy and the unresolved deaths of the APC chieftains have become flashpoints in the escalating war of words between the two main political camps, with each side seeking to portray the other as responsible for the cycle of violence that has plagued the state. As the police continue their investigations into these incidents, the competing narratives underscore the deep mistrust and political animosity that have come to define the race for the Osun governorship.
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