As Party Condemns Killing, Requests Urgent Police Investigation
- Safiu Kehinde
The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has debunked connection with the murder of a 14-year-old boy by suspected political thugs.
NPO Reported that the teenager identified as Ezekiel Olapade was shot dead by armed political thugs at Ilobu town in Irepodun Local Government Area of the state.
The assailants reportedly opened fire at the late Olapade from a vehicle branded with the image of the APC candidate for the forthcoming Osun governorship election, Bola Oyebamiji.
In an emotional video posted on social media, the father of the late teenager accused the APC of being responsible for the death of his son.
While condemning the murder of the teenager, the Osun APC in a statement issued on Monday by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, denied connection to the tragic incident.
The APC described the murder as the display of highest level of wickedness.00
“The Osun State Chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) condemned the gruesome killing of a fourteen-year-old boy, Ezekiel Olapade, in Ilobu, in the Irepodun Local Government Council Area of the state, recently, describing it as wicked, inconsiderate and barbaric.
“It was the display of the highest level of an act of wickedness for anyone to have resulted to cutting short the life of such a promising teenager for any reason.” Olabisi wrote.
The Osun APC commiserated with Olapade’s family and the entire Ilobu community while reiterated that the party and its candidate had no hand in the tragic incident.
“We are commiserating with the parents and the entire Ilobu community over the needless and wicked killing of their son and praying fervently to God to grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable sudden death of their son.
“We are also using this platform to appeal and warn the disgruntled elements in the society who might be using political cover to perpetrate violence on the innocent members of the public to henceforth desist from doing so as such is neither the hallmark of our political party nor that of our governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji(AMBO), whose passion for peaceful approach to issues is inexhaustible.
“We want to state without mincing words that our governorship candidate, Asiwaju Oyebamiji, does not believe in violence and he has never and will never sponsor violence against anyone or group of persons as it is his belief that the political ambition of any individual is not worth the blood of any person.” The statement read further.
The party called for urgent investigation by the police while charging the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, to wake up to his duty of protecting lives and property of Osun residents rather than politising the incident.
“We are strongly calling on the state police command to investigate the callous killing of the teenager with a view to bringing to justice whoever might be directly or remotely connected with the extra-judicial killing of the teenager in Ilobu.
“We are enjoining the state Governor Ademola Adeleke to effectively act his constitutional duty of the protection of the lives and property of the innocent people of the state instead of needlessly politicising such aspect of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.” The Osun APC stated.
The party commended its supporters for their peaceful posture while urging them to remain calm amid the ongoing political uprising across the state ahead of the election.
“We commend the peaceful posture of the ever-loyal and dedicated members and supporters of our party during this crucial time in the political history of the state and urge them not to waiver even in the face of visible provocation in the overall interest of corporate peace in our dear state.” The party said.