Both sides accused the other of attempting to manipulate security and electoral institutions ahead of the August 15 poll.

TICC in separate statements by Bamidele Salam, Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee and Pelumi Olajengbesi, spokesperson, rejected the APC’s allegation that Adeleke was planning to blackmail the Nigeria Police Force through a protest by hired women, describing the claim as unfounded.

The campaign council alleged that the APC had used the police to intimidate and harass political opponents during the election period. It further claimed that at least six of its members had been killed and several others injured during political violence.

“It is nothing but mischief for the APC that has unleashed unimaginable violence on Osun people, killing no fewer than six of our members, to turn around to blame the victim,” TICC said.

The council also alleged that more than 60 Accord Party members had been arrested by the police without justification, while accusing the security agency of treating APC members involved in alleged violence differently.

TICC claimed that “some Accord members had been arrested from their homes and alleged that security personnel had escorted suspected political thugs.”

It cited a viral video which it said appeared to show a police operative handing a firearm to a political thug in Ilesa.

The campaign council called on Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to intervene and ensure what it described as fair and neutral policing before the election.

“We totally reject the overt attempt by the Police to influence the August 15 governorship poll through coercion and unlawful arrests of Accord leaders and members,” the council said.

Separately, TICC alleged that the APC was pressuring the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to end voting by 12pm in selected local government areas during Saturday’s election.

According to the campaign council, the alleged plan targeted areas considered political strongholds of Adeleke, with the aim of suppressing votes and disenfranchising eligible voters.

“We therefore call on INEC to resist every form of political pressure and strictly adhere to its established voting procedures and timelines,” TICC spokesman Pelumi Olajengbesi said.

The council urged INEC to ensure that no polling unit was arbitrarily closed while eligible voters who arrived within the stipulated voting period were waiting to vote. It also called on election observers, civil society organisations, international bodies and the media to monitor the process.

The APC, however, dismissed the allegations against it and accused Adeleke and the Accord Party of attempting to blackmail the police through a planned protest involving vulnerable women.

The APC campaign council in a statement by Engr Oluremi Omowaiye
Head, Media and Publicity Committee, alleged that some women had been recruited to protest at the Osun State Police Command headquarters in Osogbo, claiming some had been instructed to protest half-naked.

“Intelligence available to us reveals a preplanned, highly provocative plot to hire vulnerable women—some of whom have been instructed to protest half-naked—and march them to the State Police Command Headquarters in Osogbo,” the APC said.

The APC maintained that the police were investigating individuals suspected of involvement in electoral violence and urged security agencies to remain professional ahead of the election.

It also called on its supporters to remain calm and law-abiding as Osun voters prepare to cast their ballots on August 15.

Trabzonspor of Turkey striker, Paul Ebere Onuachu is being tipped to take over full sponsorship of a one-day memorial football competition to be staged in honour of his first grassroots coach, Osahon Emokpae.

Sports247 gathered that the competition, which is scheduled to hold this Thursday at FHA Stadium in FESTAC Town, Lagos, is the brainchild of Nigerian Grassroots Football Federation (NGFF), of whose junior team Coach Osahon was the pioneer handler.

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NGFF president, Pastor Oscar Ezinwa Emmanuel disclosed that the single day competition will be staged like a memorial carnival involving 12 teams, all of which were influenced one way or the other by Coach Osahon, who was until recently the caretaker committee chairman of Badagry Division Football Association (BDFA).

Pastor Oscar, who is also fondly called ‘TM,’ further disclosed that the competition, which will be staged on a knock-out basis, with games lasting only 20 minutes each, without any half time, will be graced by many esteemed personalities of football across Lagos State, Nigeria and abroad.

The competing teams will be led by Young Stars FC of Satellite Town, which Onuachu played for as a teenager, and from where Osahon took him along to FC Ebedie of Sagamu, when he became head coach of the club owned by Barrister Churchill Oliseh.

Other teams to feature in Thursday’s Osahon Emokpae Memorial Football Carnival include Young Eleven FC, CATS Boys FC, NGFF All Stars Selected, Vido 99 FC, ECAS FC and Golden Intercontinental FC.

Also listed to feature in the competition, which will run from 8am to 4pm at the popular terrain owned by Federal Housing Authority are Flying Sports Academy, SC Heritage, Santana Boys FC, Festiko FC and Awori United.

The NGFF scribe told Sports247 that the organising committee decided to woo Onuachu as the competition’s sponsor based on the fact that he is the late coach’s biggest product and he contributed immensely in efforts to stabilise the grassroots football zealot when the illness that claimed his life started.

“We know that Paul Onuachu really spent a lot on Coach Osahon’s medical bills, and we thank him so much for his efforts. It’s a good example he gave for other players to always remember the coaches that brought them up.

“In the same vein, we are solemly appealing to him to kindly take up the bill for this carnival that we want to stage in honour of Coach Osahon, a man who gave all his life to promoting youth football.

“We have a budget of just one million naira to cover things like refreshments, snacks, water, organisational needs, logistics, fees for referees, awards and other necessities.

“I personally appeal to Onuachu to take up this responsibility and, by the special grace of God, he will be blessed more abundantly in return. Good health will continue to follow him and he will soar higher.

“I know him as a caring boy, who has even given donations to his community in Imo State, for which God will also reward him exceedingly. Injury will mot befall him and he will have a sound mind on the field all the time. Amen,” Pastor Oscar prayed.