A former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Fatai Owoseni, has withdrawn from the governorship primary of the Accord Party in Oyo State, citing alleged manipulation of the party structure and rising violence within the party.
Owoseni, who also served as security adviser to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, announced his withdrawal in a statement shared on his X handle on Tuesday.
The retired police chief said recent developments within the party had made it impossible for his governorship ambition to continue on the Accord platform.
He expressed concern over the worsening security situation in the state, particularly the recent attack in Ogbomoso, sympathising with families of victims killed and those still held captive.
According to him, the prevailing security challenges in the state should ordinarily dominate public discussion at the moment.
Owoseni, however, alleged that there were deliberate moves within the party aimed at frustrating his governorship aspiration.
He claimed that the Accord Party structure in the state had been infiltrated and manipulated by forces determined to maintain political control at all costs.
The former police commissioner also accused unnamed individuals of introducing thuggery and violence into the party’s affairs to disrupt the primary process and weaken opposition within the party.
He said the developments, alongside other issues yet to be made public, forced him to reconsider his political association with the party and eventually withdraw from the governorship race.
Despite his exit, Owoseni assured his supporters that his commitment to the development and progress of Oyo State remained unwavering.
He thanked party loyalists and supporters who had stood by him since the beginning of his political ambition, urging them to remain calm and understanding in view of the latest development.