Description
The former Chairman of the African Action Congress (AAC) in Lagos has accused the Department of State Services (DSS) of attempting to intimidate its Director-General in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State after he was invited to the agency’s Lagos headquarters over a petition allegedly filed by a serving member of the House of Representatives and National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for Ojo, Seyi Sowunmi.
Oni Ayoyinka, immediate past Chairman of the AAC in Lagos, made the allegation in a statement in which he urged the DSS to stay out of political disputes in the area.
According to Ayoyinka, Sowunmi allegedly petitioned the DSS against the AAC’s Ojo Director-General, Honourable Africaawhuu Egbayelo Edahunsi, who previously worked with Sowunmi politically but has since joined the AAC.
Ayoyinka said Edahunsi received a call from a female DSS officer on Wednesday informing him that he had been invited to the agency’s Lagos headquarters on CMD Road over a petition.
He said he subsequently tried to contact the DSS officer but she did not answer his calls.
“I placed a phone call to the DSS agent that called Honourable Africaawhuu Egbayelo Edahunsi our DG but she refused to pick, I left a message for her on WhatsApp,” Ayoyinka said.
He alleged that the invitation could be an attempt to suppress a political opponent, adding that the DSS should not become involved in political disputes.
“The DSS should not be involved in political suppression and oppression,” he said.
Ayoyinka said the agency should instead focus on security challenges such as cultism, thuggery, violence and kidnapping in Lagos.
He said the AAC would not accept what he described as intimidation or oppression, while insisting that the party was not opposed to legitimate investigations by security agencies.
According to him, he told the DSS that if the agency wanted Edahunsi to appear over a petition, it should formally communicate the details and identify the officer handling the matter.
He reproduced the message allegedly sent to Edahunsi by the DSS officer: “INVITATION: Mr AFRICAAWHUU EGBAYELO EDAHUNSI, you are hereby invited to the DSS Lagos HQ at CMD road, based on a petition against you.”
Ayoyinka said the party was concerned about the circumstances surrounding the invitation and wanted clarification on the identity of the officer, the subject of the petition and why the DSS headquarters was handling the matter.
“We don't run away or avoid any security agencies but we will also not be tricked or insulted,” he said.
He also accused Sowunmi, without providing details of the petition, of attempting to use the DSS against a political opponent.
“For Seyi Sowunmi, you are supposed to be a federal lawmaker in the lower chamber, if you are a responsible one, you will not attempt to use the DSS to suppress opponents,” Ayoyinka said.
He added that if Sowunmi had a genuine complaint against Edahunsi, he should report it through the appropriate security channels.
The AAC chieftain also used the statement to campaign for the party’s candidate, Honourable Ademola Williams Awesanmi, ahead of the 2027 House of Representatives election in Ojo.
“To the people of Ojo, look at who you voted for. He can't even withstand opposition voices. It is time to send him home,” he said.
“Vote Honourable Ademola Williams Awesanmi for House of Representatives Ojo Local government, Lagos.”
Ayoyinka signed the statement as the immediate past Chairman of the African Action Congress in Lagos and wrote from Ojo Local Government Area.
Details
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State/CountryLagos
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PerpetratorDepartment of State Services
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Source
Location
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Lagos, Nigeria
