From Priscilla Ofunre, Ado-Ekiti
The crisis rocking Imesi-Ekiti in Gbonyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State on Wednesday worsened as the state chairman of the All Progressives Congress ( APC), Hon. Paul Omotosho alleges threat to his life over the protracted obaship tussle.
In a petition dated November 5, 2019 and addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Asuquo Amba, Omotosho alleged that there was a plot to ‘assassinate’ him as a result of a publication by Agunsoye Ruling House indicting him of plotting to impose his anointed candidate against the choice of the town.
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For the past few months, there has been a palpable fear in the sleepy town over who occupies the vacant stool following the demise of Oba Oladimeji Adeyeye last year December.
The petition was written on Omotosho’s behalf by his lawyer Olatunbosun Otitoju and titled “Threat to Life, Conduct Likely to Breach Public Peace and Criminal Defamation of Honourable Barrister Paul Omotosho”.
The Head of Agunsoye Ruling House and Secretary, Prince Adu Fasunlade and Sesan Aladesanmi respectively had in a publication alleged the APC Chairman of complicity, imposition and undue influence in the nagging obaship tussle.
According to the publication, the duo accussed Omotosho of working in cahoots with some top-hierarchy of the APC-led government to sabotage the selection processes, noting that the efforts of the kingmakers to install a new monarch were being frustrated by his ‘antics’.
The report published November 4, 2019 was considered defamatory, injurious, false, malicious, unjustified and harmful to the APC chairman who is demanding for its immediate retraction and a sum of N500, 000,000 from the Agunsoye’s family.
Omotosho said the publication was obviously targeted at defaming his hard earned integrity with a view to inciting some ‘jobbers’ in the town to wage war against him.
He, further stated that his movement has largely been affected due to the feeling that he is now being monitored by some people notorious for bloodletting and senseless killings.
He, however, sought for police protection against possible attacks on him, urging the Police boss to commence discreet investigation with a view to bringing Prince Fasunlade and Prince Aladesanmi to book in the interest of justice and peace.
The petitions read in part: “It is an incontrovertible fact that the widespread allegations against our client is willfully targeted at injuring, maligning and smearing and dragging in the mud the hard earned reputation, integrity and reputable household name built over the years.
“It is even to our client’s utmost chagrin and irksome consternation that our client, who is not in any way whatsoever involved or did anything capable of interfering with the statutory responsibilities and duties of the king makers of Imesi-Ekiti, could be a subject of horrendous, disparaging and defaming statement of Prince Adu Fasunlade and Prince Sesan Aladesanmi.
“As a result of the defamatory publication, our client has suffered unquantifiable pecuniary, psychological loses. And even as now made our clients to live in fear of the hatred, ridicule, harm and attack in Imesi-Ekiti.
“This situation has also been heightened with the growing restiveness and enthronement of a state of anomie in the community consequent upon the continued and unabated instigation of the aforesaid defamatory publication.
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It added: “It is our understanding of the law and unscathed position of the extant laws that the above narrated actions of the Head, Agunsoye Ruling House, Prince Adu Fasunlade and Secretary, Prince Sesan Aladesanmi and their cohorts can best be described as threat to life, conduct likely to breach peace and criminal defamation of our clients.
”It is in view of these facts that we implore and urge you to use your good office to wade into the matter by investigating, arresting and bringing to book Prince Fasunlade and Prince Aladesanmi and their cohorts and to curb the excesses of these hoodlums and criminal elements whose actions are capable of breaching the peace of the land.”
