Oyebamiji Mocks Adeleke’s Call For Visa Ban On Osun APC Leaders

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming Osun State governorship election, Bola Oyebamiji, has dismissed Governor Ademola Adeleke’s call for the British High Commission to deny entry visas to some APC leaders over alleged sponsorship of violence, describing the request as “the joke of the century.”

Oyebamiji made the remarks on Tuesday in Osogbo while receiving a delegation from the British High Commission led by its Senior Political Adviser, Wale Adebajo, as part of engagements with political stakeholders ahead of the governorship election.

The APC candidate also alleged that his party had lost several members to politically motivated killings in the state, maintaining that the APC had refrained from politicising the incidents when it was in government.

According to him, many APC members were killed during the 2022 governorship election, but the party allowed security agencies to investigate the cases rather than making accusations against political opponents.

He said, “Although we were the governing party at the time, we neither sought to politicise the incidents nor level baseless accusations. Instead, we cooperated fully with the security agencies, allowing them to carry out their constitutional responsibilities. Today, several of those cases are before the courts.

“Sadly, in the last two years, a number of our members have also lost their lives under tragic circumstances. In my own Irewole Local Government Area, the Executive Chairman, Hon. Remi Abbas, was killed within the premises of the local government secretariat. That unfortunate incident is only one among several others that have been well documented.”

Responding to Adeleke’s appeal for visa restrictions against prominent Osun APC leaders, Oyebamiji said the request was without basis.

“Permit me to also address recent media reports alleging that foreign missions, including the British High Commission, were urged to deny entry visas to members of our party.

“I regard such reports as entirely unfounded and, frankly, the joke of the century. If any political party had reason to make such a request, it would more logically have been our party, the APC,” he said.

Oyebamiji assured that the APC would continue to cooperate with security agencies in maintaining peace before, during and after the election.

He also expressed confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a free, fair, credible and peaceful governorship poll.

Speaking during the visit, the Senior Political Adviser at the British High Commission, Wale Adebajo, said the delegation was in Osun to engage political stakeholders ahead of the election.

Meanwhile, Governor Adeleke had earlier called on the British High Commission to impose visa restrictions and other economic sanctions on some APC chieftains over alleged involvement in violent crimes in the state.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor also urged security agencies to identify and prosecute those responsible for violence in Osun.

According to the statement, Adeleke said the public statements and actions of some APC leaders justified his demand for visa restrictions and economic sanctions against them.

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