Praying Ground Stampede: Osun Govt Alleges Assassination Attempt On Governor; APC Says He Breached Protocol

By Ayodele Oni

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke has reacted to the chaos which followed his arrival at the Osogbo praying ground, appealing for calm soon after he escaped an alleged “assassination.”

But the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state insisted that the manner the Governor’s entourage invaded the praying ground caused the pandemonium.

The Governor, in a statement by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, thanked God for preserving him and his team, directing law enforcement agents to arrest culprits behind the incident.

“My good people of Osun, I appeal for calm and urge us to continue to celebrate the Sallah festival in peace. I am safe by the special grace of God.

“I have directed security agencies to arrest those behind the incident and get them to face the wrath of the law. The Commissioner of Police has been directed to arrest those involved no matter how highly placed.”

The State Government had, meanwhile, condemned the orchestrated attacks on the Governor by stalwarts of the All Progressives Congress at the praying ground.

“The governor is shocked and surprised by the role played by former Senator Ajibola Bashiru, who took over the space reserved for the Governor at the prayer ground. All efforts to get the former Senator to vacate the space proved abortive.

“PDP members who agitated for respect for the office of the Governor were beaten up. It was chaotic scene which the Governor walked into when he arrived at the ground for the Eid prayer.

“The Governor was even more shocked that thugs armed to the teeth were spotted all over the praying ground with security information that they were imported to eliminate the Governor and key Government functionaries.

“The Governor who arrived at the venue hoping to observe the Eid prayers was practically surrounded by armed thugs, prompting security men to ferry the Governor into his jeep.

“For the second time, the Governor attempted to enter the praying field, but the encirclement by armed thugs was already visible. It was at that point that the Governor had to leave the praying ground.

“The Governor is now safely at home, receiving guests and leaders from all walks of life.”

The APC, in a statement by its Chairman condemned the invasion of the Muslim Praying Ground at Oke-Bale, Osogbo by Governor Ademola Adeleke and his retinue of political thugs who are loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with some Soldiers and Policemen.

According to the State Chairman of the APC, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, in a statement issued by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Chief Kola Olabisi, in Osogbo on Wednesday, the entire scenario which culminated in a rancorous scene orchestrated by Governor Adeleke and his political hoodlums amounted to executive lawlessness.

APC explained that “without prior notification by the advanced party and protocol unit of the Governor’s Office, Governor Adeleke’s handlers badged into the Muslim Praying Ground and ordered a respected leader of Osogbo, Alhaji Tunde Badmus, the Asiwaju of Osogboland and Senator Ajibola Bashiru, to vacate where they were already seated and that it was the choice of the space for the Governor.

“It was an attempt to forcefully remove Alhaji Badmus and Senator Bashiru from their seats at the praying ground and subsequent executive order by Governor Adeleke who hails from Ede, to the police to effect the arrest of the two prominent sons of Osogbo that degenerated into the confusion which engulfed the scene.”

APC further claimed  that the Governor who left the scene before the beginning of the Eid-Eil-Kabir prayers session issued an order to close the gate of the entrance of the praying ground in order to effect the arrest of Alhaji Badmus and Bashiru.

The indigenes of Osogbo, who saw no reason for the arrest, resisted the development, which resulted in the ensuing rancorous scene.

“Governor Adeleke did not even alight from his official vehicle throughout the duration of the crisis, which makes nonsense of those who are reporting an assassination attempt on the Governor.”