Governor Amosun Wants Me Dead – APC Senator Cries Out
Barely a week after the violent attack on journalists, party faithfuls and innocent residents, at the All Peoples Congress, APC Leme Secretariat in Abeokuta, Ogun State, by suspected hoodlums believed to be loyal to the Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, no fewer than nine people have again been seriously injured in a shoot-out in Wasimi, Ewekoro Local Government Area of the State.
The Senator representing Ogun Central
Senatorial District, Gbenga Obadara who lawfully planned to host a senatorial meeting is directly pointing accusing fingers at the State Governor.
Senator Obadara on Thursday had escaped death, but his police orderly, Sergeant Sunday Akinbode was shot by suspected thugs in Wasimi, while other APC members were also shot with several others injured in the attack.
Also caught in the hail of bullets fired by the APC thugs were Senator Akin Odunsi representing Ogun West and members of the House of Representatives, including Olumide Osoba (Obafemi/Owode), Adekunle Adeyemi (Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency) and Remi Bakare, a former governorship candidate.
Journalists, including Sheriff Balogun (Thisday), Daud Olatunji (Vanguard), Dimeji Kayode Adedeji (Premium Times) and Segun Olatunji (Punch) also escaped death by the whiskers.
The Secretary of the Ogun State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Mr. Soji Amosu took refuge in Senator Obadara’s SUV while the
gunfire lasted.
The suspected thugs who wielded guns and other dangerous weapons were alleged to be loyalists of the Chairman of Ewekoro Local Government, Dele Soluade and were allegedly working on the instruction of Governor Ibikunle Amosun to tackle his opponents.
The touts had at about 1:38pm stormed the Wasimi venue of the senatorial meeting convened by Obadara to sensitize the people of the area about the forthcoming membership registration of the APC.
The touts immediately started firing at the APC supporters said to be loyal to former governor Olusegun Osoba and in the process Obadara’s police orderly was hit by bullets as he attempted to shield his principal.
Though in the same political party, Senator Obadara without mincing words alleged that Governor Amosun was responsible for the attack on him and his supporters to kill.
He said the Governor is now showing his real violent traits as this would be the second time within a week that his “killer squad” would be striking.
A member of the House of Representatives also caught in the attack accused the police in the
state of complicity.
Senator Adegbenga Kaka who was at the
hospital to visit those shot in the attack called on the Federal Government and the police high command to investigate the attack on the APC.
In the meantime, the Ogun State Police Command has said no fewer than five policemen were injured in Thursday’s attack on members of All Progressives Congress in Wasimi, Ewekoro Local Government of the state by suspected armed thugs and rival party members.
The injured personnel, the police said, included the Divisional Police Officer of Ewekoro and the orderly to the Area Commander of Ota.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, told newsmen in Abeokuta on the telephone that the police did not take side in the incident.
Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said, “This morning, the police were informed that there would be a programme in Wasimi, Ewekoro and the Area Commander, Ota, Titi Kayode, went there with some policemen, including some DPOs. We discovered that the group of Senator (Gbenga) Obadara wanted to have a meeting there. But some youths vowed not to allow him. The police persuaded the youths.
“When the atmosphere was not conducive, the police suggested that the programme be postponed. Later, the Obadara group went to another place and it was there the violence began. Police dispersed the rival groups with teargas. While the two groups were fighting, somebody released (gun) shots.
“Five policemen and a civilian were injured. The DPO Ewekoro was injured; the orderly to Area Commander Ota was also injured. It was an ugly incident. The police later restored normalcy
“Immediately, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikemefuna Okoye, sent two Deputy Commissioners of Police to the place. We are going to transfer the case to the State CID. Nobody should accuse the police wrongly or link us with the violence. Our men were also injured. Since firearms were used; it is a case that cannot be swept under the carpet”, Adejobi concluded.
Many residents of Ogun state are today worried on the wave of violence especially on innocent residents who are not politicians.
Femi Ajiboye, a resident of Wasinmi who spoke with NigerianEcho termed the act as “executive lawlessness of terror” stating that “the Governor as the Chief Security Officer of the state has the responsibility to protect the citizenry and curb the menace by arresting the culprits to bring them to book, but a situation where the Governor says he has begged those attacked in the first incident means complicity, he is only protecting those he sent on errand”.
It would be recalled that Senator Ibikunle Amosun in a similar reckless manner of violence in 2007 was alleged to have led some hoodlums to attack the convoy of the then sitting governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.