The ‘battle of wits’ between erstwhile political associates, Osun’s Governor Rauf Aregbesola and a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Alhaji Fatai Oyedele Diekola took another serious dimension on Tuesday as the latter is now cooling off inside Ilesha prison.
An Osogbo Magistrate Court remanded Alhaji Diekola and six others after they were arraigned before court on three-count charge of alleged public disturbance, act capable of disturbing public peace, illegal assembly and actions capable of creating tensions in the society.
The APC chieftain had on Monday been charged to court but the two Magistrates that were in court rejected the trial of the Osogbo-born politician.
Diekola was arraigned with Salawu Moshood, Onikola Adekunle, Oladosu Alo, Funsho Babalola, Bayo Daodu and Babalola Kayode.
According to the charge sheet, Diekola and other accused persons, on the 10th of July, 2017 at about 12:05 at Ring Road, Osogbo, did conspired to commit felony to wit causing breach of peace.
They were arraigned on three count charge of conspiracy, unlawful assembly and conduct likely to cause breach of peace which was contrary to sections 517, 69 and 349 of the criminal code cap 34, vol 11, laws of Osun state 2002.
They all pleaded not guilty to the allegations leveled against them by the police.
Their counsels, Olanrewaju Jayeoba, Ahseem Abioye, Kazeem Badmus, made effort to apply for their bail.
But the presiding Magistrate, Justice A. Ayeni denied oral application and sought for formal application which would be mentioned on July 18, 2017 but did not immediately mention where to keep the suspects. It was later gathered by PMParrot that they were moved to Ilesha Prison.
In a related development, the popular thug in Osun state, Dada Lawrence popularly called “De Law” was arraigned with Tomori Afolabi, Fatai Oyedele Diekola and Ayobami Oyeniyi.
While Diekola was alleged of conspiracy in the first count charge, the three other accused, were charged for eight-counts bothering on illegal possession of firearms, unlawful damage and stealing.
Counsel to Afolabi, Lawrence and Oyeniyi, Bola Abimbola Ige, urged the court to grant his clients bail in the most liberal term.
He argued that the law allow the Magistrate to grant bail of firearms, noting that the offense was a bailable one pursuant to section 36(5) of the constitution.
Magistrate Ayeni thereby granted the accused persons bail with a sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum and adjourned all the cases to July 18, 2017, for mention.
The decision of the court has however caused tension as supporters of Diekola described the court action as “political”.
A chieftain of APC who spoke with our correspondent under condition of anonymity, wondered why the court would grant bail of firearms and denied bail of unlawful assembly.
Many political observers spoken to by PMParrot expressed the belief that the travails of Alhaji Diekola is not unrelated to last Saturday’s senatorial rerun election won by Chief Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Packaged by Bunmi Oladejo with additional reports from Rahman Salami
