A chieftain of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Oyo State, Engineer Oyedele Hakeem Alao, has asked Governor Seyi Makinde to explain his role in the attack of some members of his party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), during a parallel congress.
InfoStride News recalls that the state chapter of PDP had penultimate Saturday, organised two parallel congresses.
The congresses were organised by two factions battling to control the party in the state. The two factions are one loyal to Governor Makinde and the other loyal to some aggrieved members of the party.
The Governor’s camp had its congress at Lekan Salami stadium at Adamasingba while the aggrieved members had their congress at Jogor Centre.
It was however gathered that some gunmen attacked the one held by the aggrieved members at Jogor Centre.
During the attack, a member of the party was macheted while several others were injured. Over 100 vehicles were vandalized during the attack.
Alao, in a statement signed by his media aide, Omotayo Iyanda, a copy of which was made available to the media on Monday, insisted that Makinde should provide answers to some questions.
He said that Makinde should be tried for the heinous violent attack on the parallel congress of his party.
Alao said, “More than 50 people and vehicles were vandalised and injured with many people macheted. This kind of politics characterised by violence and brigandage should not be in vogue at the moment, be condemned in this age, and should not be happening under the watch of a governor as Mákindé who is younger, ought to be refined and approach public administration with decency and refinement.
“Throughout the eight-year regime of late Senator Isiak Abiola Ajimobi, such violent attacks on party members of the same party, All Progressives Congress (APC), were not heard of and neither were there any attacks on any other parties members.
“It is, therefore, a pity that a lot of indecent occurrences are happening under Makinde which is a true pointer to the real personality of the governor whom some residents of the state regard today as the best governor Oyo State has ever had.
“It is time Governor Makinde began to be tried in the people’s court to answer questions on his role in the violence that characterised the last congress of his party in the state which he cannot claim innocence of.
“Of course, Makinde is a prime suspect, the mastermind of the destructive attacks because nothing of such happened at Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan where he held his faction’s congress.
“So, why should Makinde mastermind attacks on the party men at his party’s parallel congress if he is not a very selfish greedy tyrant? Such violence of old which we thought is gone for good since 2011 should not be brought back by a young politician like him whom the people think he is refined and decent”.
All efforts made by newsmen to get a reaction from the Governor since Monday proved to be abortive.
Several calls put through to the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Taiwo Adisa, were not answered.
Similarly, some text messages sent to Adisa on Monday were yet to be replied as at the time of filing this report on Tuesday.
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