Osun

Osun APC Unfair To Late Adeniji – Group Decries

ByYusuf Oketola

PublishedApril 20, 2025

A Civil Society Group, Osun Democrats for Democracy (ODD) has decried what it described as “callous and shameful” treatment meted out to one of the prominent chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Raif Adekunle Adeniji, who was abducted and later released dead under suspicious and tragic circumstances.

The civil society noted that the APC’s attitude throughout the crisis revealed a deep-seated disregard for the welfare of even its own members, especially those from the ancient city of Ile-Ife.

ODD in a statement on by its Director of Operations, Adeyefa Adeyemo, described the conduct of the Osun APC as “inhuman, detached, and unbefitting of a political party that claims to represent the people.”

A copy of the statement obtained by OSUN DEFENDER yesterday reads, “The APC’s negligence during and after the kidnapping of Hon. Adeniji, the National Admin Director of the APC Secretariat and a notable Ife son, exposes their true character and systemic indifference to human lives.

“Hon. Adeniji was reportedly kidnapped 2 months ago under circumstances that demanded an immediate and coordinated response from the leadership of his party.

“Instead of prompt action and public concern, the APC hierarchy maintained a “lackadaisical and indifferent posture,” failing to raise an alarm or engage security operatives in a meaningful way until Ife community leaders began to mount pressure.

“It is deeply disturbing that it took widespread condemnation and a public outcry from Ife elders and concerned stakeholders before the APC leadership in Osun State stirred into motion.

“It was only after prominent voices in Ile-Ife began to call them out that they began to act. For a man of Hon. Adeniji’s stature to be treated this way, both in life and in death, speaks volumes about the insensitivity and internal decay in the opposition.

“Even more appalling, was the false narrative peddled by APC leaders after Hon. Adeniji’s lifeless body was reportedly discovered. The corpse was found by security agencies on Monday, yet rather than acknowledging the grim reality, the APC went ahead to deceitfully announce that he had been released.”

Adeyemo noted that, “this act of deliberate misinformation was not only reckless but also cruel. How could a political party, knowing full well that their official had been found dead, boldly declare him released and safe? It was a propaganda gone too far, showing how politics has overtaken basic decency within the APC ranks.”

According to him, “It took three long days before the same opposition party retracted its earlier claims and finally admitted that Hon. Adeniji had been murdered. This delay in conveying the truth was a betrayal not just of the deceased but also of his grieving family, the Ife community, and the general public that had been praying and hoping for his safe return.”

He said such dishonourable conduct further alienates Osun APC from the people it seeks to govern.

“How can a party that cannot stand up for its own leaders, that cannot mobilize immediate response when a top administrator is abducted, and that shamelessly misleads the public in the face of death, be trusted with the welfare of the people?” he questioned.

Yusuf Oketola

Yusuf Oketola is a trained journalist with over five years of experience in the media industry. He has worked for both print and online medium. He is a thorough-bred professional with an eye of hindsight on issues bothering on social justice, purposeful leadership, and a society where the leaders charge and work for the prosperity of the people.