The Osun State All Progressives Congress Governorship Campaign Council on Sunday demanded probe into the death of one Taliat Simbiat during the Accord Party primary for Ayedire/Iwo/Olaoluwa Federal Constituency held in Iwo, Osun state.

The Head, Media and Publicity Committee of the Governorship Campaign Council, Remi Omowaiye, in a statement obtained in Osogbo, alleged that the deceased was killed during the Accord Party primaries held in Iwo, saying violence and destruction of property marred the exercise in the state.

Omowaiye said reports emerging from different parts of the state paint a disturbing picture of chaos and bloodshed arising from the exercise.

“Internal party primaries are expected to be a celebration of democracy and an opportunity for members to freely choose their representatives,” he said.

“According to reports available to us, several members of the Accord Party and innocent citizens have suffered varying degrees of injuries, while lives have reportedly been lost as a result of the violence that accompanied the exercise,” he added.

Commenting further, Omowaiye noted the reported death of Taliat of Ward 3, Iwo, who he said “lost her life during the violence, while no fewer than 30 persons reportedly sustained serious injuries in the local government.

“The APC Campaign Council urges Governor Ademola Adeleke to fully cooperate with law enforcement agencies in identifying, apprehending and prosecuting all those responsible for the killing of Mrs Taliat Simbiat and numerous citizens who sustained injuries. He must not play ostrich this time around. No individual, regardless of political affiliation or status, should be shielded from justice.”

But reacting, the State Governor, Ademola Adeleke in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, commiserated with the family of the deceased, saying Taliat slumped and died during the primaries in Iwo.

Adeleke who also expressed profound pains at the unfortunate loss of a supporter and a committed party faithful, condoled all those impacted by her demise.

“Mrs Taliat Simbiat’s sudden passing has left a deep pain in my heart that words cannot adequately convey. The deceased was more than a party faithful but one of our administration’s biggest promoters in Iwo and environs.

“Hearing about her passing is quite emotional for me as a personal and I join in mourning a virtuous woman whose impacts and contributions to the society will be sorely missed.

“It is my prayer that God Almighty repose the soul of the departed and give the family and everyone touched by the painful loss the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. My condolences,” Adeleke further said.

Reiterating intolerance for violence in the conduct of political activities, the governor commended members of Accord for conducting themselves peacefully throughout the primaries.

He rejected the APC allegation of shielding thugs, noting that he has no reason to abhor criminals, given his style of politics, which emphasises peace and stability.

“Since joining politics, I have always maintained a peaceful disposition in my conduct. Even when our victory was violently stolen, we chose a lawful mean to retrieve it and even recently, when councils were violently hijacked, we maintained the peace,” he said.

“Those raising the accusations of thuggery against us are actually those in the habit of sponsoring thuggery to achieve political objectives. They cannot rewrite the truth that Osun people know well about them,” the governor said