Some APC Members Are After My Life- Lasun Yusuff Cries Out

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Lasun Yussuff has alleged a threat to his life since he has expressed his interest to run for the governorship race of Osun State.

Hon Yusuf Lasun

Addressing a press conference on behalf of the Lawmaker on Saturday,  the head of the Constituency Relations Office of the Deputy Speaker in Osogbo, Hon. Niyi Ogunsola said Yussuff have continued to receive series of threat in the recent past, that have put his life in danger.

Ogunsola noted that the latest of the series of threat were the ones from some members of  All Progressive Congress(APC) Osun caucus in the House of Representatives, including Hon. Jibola Famurewa, Hon. Mojeed Alabi, Hon. Ayo Omidiran among others.

” In the press statement made after the tributes on Late Senator Isiaka Adeleke at the plenary on the floor of the house, the said caucus members categorically said that the expression of fear of danger on the life of Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff was built on emotion.

“Also, Prince Gboyega Famodun, who is the chairman of APC in Osun sternly warned by way of threat in page 11 of the Punch Newspaper of October 31, 2016 that Late Senator Isiaka Adeleke and Hon. Lasun Yussuff should suspend their governorship ambition.He further stated in the said publication that the party will discipline both Isiaka Adeleke and Lasun Yussuff if they refused to stop their ambition.

” We consider this statement as a threat, and expression of hatred to Yussuff by Famodun, under the guise of the party, since there is no record to date of APC party meeting to decide such.

“We clearly knew that the threat was a personal purport of Prince Gboyega Famodun and not of the  APC party.

” In furtherance to his threat, on February 20, 2017, Mr Famoodun again on a Radio programme said Lasun Yussuff is on his own, while the Deputy Chairman of the party, Mr Azeez Adeniji in another programme some weeks later described Lasun Yussuff as a prodical son,” he said.

Ogunsola moreover alleged the Deputy Chief of Staff to governor Aregbesola, Mr Gbenga Akano to have threatened Yussuff not to attend an event, and if he appeared, “the programme would be disrupted”.

He further accused he former Commissioner of Justice during Gov. Rauf Aregbesola first term, Mr Wale Afolabi for masterminding a threatening test message against Yussuff, where he was warned not to attend a function.

” The threat was reported to the Directorate of State Service(DSS) Osun State Command, who investigated the source of the threat, and found out that one Mr Abimbowo was the sender. Mr Abimbowo was arrested and during interrogation, he confessed that Mr Wale Afolabi, a former commissioner for Justice and Attorney General in Osun under the government of Mr Rauf Aregbesola ordered him to send the text.

” In the same vein, Dr Bashiru Ajibola, a former Commissioner on Special Duty in the government of Mr Rauf Aregbesola mobilised thugs to stop Lasun Yussuff from the construction of Eid’s perimeter fence for a community, saying that he was acting on the order of the state government.

“In conclusion, the above public  instances and actions are pointers to the fact that the life of Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff is in danger.

” This became important because we do not want any death to occur to anyone is such a mysterious way it had happened in the case of Senator Isiaka Adeleke, ” he stressed.

Read the full text:

THE LIFE OF DEPUTY SPEAKER, RT. HON. LASUN YUSSUFF IS IN DANGER

Press Conference
Constituency Relations Office of
The Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Abuja
Osogbo Office
29th April 2017
Preamble: Gentle men of the press, I welcome you all to this press conference. Thanks for honoring our invitation.

Introduction: Following the election of Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Abuja on June 9th 2015 and his subsequent intention to run for the governorship of Osun State in 2018, we have received a number of threats that have put his life in danger. While all these threats are public information, we are however surprised at the statement credited to some members of Osun caucus in the House of Representatives including Hon. Jibola Famurewa,Hon. Mojeed ALABI, Hon. Gaffar Amere, Hon. Ayo Omidiran and Hon. Olufemi Fakeye. In the press statement made after the tributes on Late Senator Isiaka Adeleke was made at the plenary on the floor of the House, that the expression of fear of danger on the life of Rt. Hon, Lasun Yussuff was built on emotion. The following public utterances and actions associated with Prince Gboyega Famoodun and others in the Government of Osun State serve as evidences of endangering the life of Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff and prove that our concern is outside the context of emotion.

On Monday 31, October 2016, Prince Gboyega Famoodun, under the pretext that he was acting on behalf of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State sternly warned by way of threat on Page 11 of The Punch Newspaper of October 31, 2016 that Late Senator Isiaka Adeleke and Hon. Lasun Yussuff should suspend their governorship ambition. He further stated in that paper using the coverage of APC to express his personal hatred against both Lasun Yussuff and Isiaka Adeleke that the party will discipline both late Isiaka Adeleke and Lasun Yussuff if they refused to stop their ambition. While there was and still no record to date of APC party meeting to decide such, we clearly knew that the threat was a personal purport of Prince Gboyega Famoodun and not of the APC party. We respect our party- APC as a noble party and appreciate its teaming supporters at the grassroot.

In furtherance to his threat, on 20th February 2017, Gboyega Famoodun again said on a programme tagged “Political Updates” on Rave FM station in Osogbo anchored by Mr Dayo Oderinu that “Lasun Yussuff is on his own”.

In another edition of the programme held about four weeks later featuring Mr. Azeez Adesiji, an acclaimed Vice Chairman of our party APC in Osun State, Azeez Adeniji said that “Lasun is a prodigal son”. This was to further the personal threat of danger which Prince Famoodun had earlier set against Lasun Yussuff.

Around December 2016, the Tricycle Association in Osun State accosted Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff to appreciate his gesture in donating 106 tricycles to his party members in APC in Osun State, being part of his empowerment programmes. It was this that motivated the association. The Association further requested for grants of money to administer among themselves as loans to boost their enterprises. Lasun Yussuff agreed to facilitate the monetary request and the association was enthused and offered Lasun Yussuff to be their patron. Lasun Yussuff agreed. Three days before the ceremony, the chairman of the Association Mr. Ibrahim Adewale Folorunso sought to see Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff, but not fulfilled. He however met Comrade Waheed Adediran and Mr. Wale Daodu from Osogbo, who facilitated their visit to Lasun Yussuff. Ibrahim Adewale informed Wale Daodu and Waheed Adediran that one Mr. Gbenga Akano, a former political appointee in Osun State under the government of Mr. Rauf Aregbesola has met them and asked them to inform Lasun Yussuff not to appear at the function, and that if Lasun Yussuff appeared, the programme would be disrupted.

On 27th January 2017, one of the veteran Progressive leaders and politicians in Ikirun Pa Ganiyu Owoseni Lawal had his 90th birthday in Ikirun. Specifically Lasun Yussuff was invited to the programme by the celebrant. Lasun Yussuff visited the celebrant a day before the celebration in Ikirun, and Pa Lawal hosted Lasun Yussuff in one of the celebrant’s wives’ bedrooms. Lasun Yussuff also promised to attend the ceremony on the following day. But to our surprise at around 9pm that evening a text message was sent to Lasun Yussuff private phone number as follows: “Sir, It’s very unfair for you to want to attend Baba Owoseni’s birthday ceremony tomorrow. If you insist to come and anything comes against you, you have to bear it. My advice is that you should not come.” This threat was reported to the Directorate of State Service (DSS) Osun State Command, who investigated the source of the threat. The DSS found that one Mr. Abimbowo (A.K.A Ijanja) was the sender. Mr. Abimbowo was arrested. During his interrogation he confessed that one Mr. Wale Afolabi, a former commissioner for Justice and Attorney General in Osun State under the government of Mr. Rauf Aregbesola ordered him to send the text. DSS invited Mr. Wale Afolabi for interrogation, while Mr Abimbowo was detained for two weeks in the custody of DSS during the investigation as others that were involved in the threat to the life of Lasun Yussuff were at large.

Around first week of April 2017, Osogbo Muslim Community led by Alhaji Moroof Idi- ako (Mufashiru of Osogbo land), Alhaji Suleiman (Baba Kekere of Osogbo Land, Alhaji Muniru Adebayo and others visited Lasun Yussuff to appreciate the ongoing developmental projects, which he facilitated in Osogbo. In their discussions they further requested that Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff should assist them in building the perimeter fence around the new Osogbo Eid along Ibokun road. Lasun Yussuff agreed to their request. On resumption to the site, One Dr. Bashiru Ajibola, a former Commissioner on Special Duty in the government of Mr. Rauf Aregbesola moblised thugs and hoodlums to the site, claiming that he acted on the order of the government of Osun State to stop Lasun Yussuff from the construction of the Eid’s perimeter fence.

In conclusion, the above public instances and actions are pointers to the fact that the life of Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff is in danger. We believe perfectly in God, and we do not want any death to occur to anyone in such a mysterious way it had happened in the case of Senator Isiaka Adeleke (May his soul rest in perfect peace). We therefore refused to join issue with anyone, but as more dangerous situation arises, we are going to inform the public.
Thank you all for listening.

Signed
Dr. Hon Niyi Ogunsola
The Constituency Relations Office
Office of the Deputy Speaker
House of Representatives,