Ogun state governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Dapo Abiodun narrowly escaped assassination on Thursday when hoodlums suspected to be political thugs attacked his campaign convoy in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Abiodun, whose campaign convoy was billed for a rally in Abeokuta North Local Government area, had been waylaid at the popular Mokola Junction within the metropolis, leading to Elega area where he was billed to address his supporters.
Led by one of the federal lawmakers from Ogun Central Senatorial district, the hoodlums had barricaded the road leading to Elega area with big stones, log of woods, chanting anti-Dapo Abiodun slogans and started shooting directly into the convoy of the APC guber candidate.
It however, took the quick intervention of the security personnel attached to the convoy of the APC guber candidate to dislodge the hoodlums who also blocked the road with bus branded in the colour and logo of the Allied People’s Movement (APM).
The same scenario also played out at the popular, “ori omi” area of Sokori axis where the hoodlums chased the Abeokuta residents away by shooting sporadically in the area with guns and other dangerous arms.
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Consequent upon this development, detachments of armed policemen, which included personnel of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), drafted by the state Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu however, took over the security checks within the metropolis.
Speaking with journalists shortly after escaping the Sokori area’s attack, the gubernatorial candidate, Abiodun commended the gallantry of the security operatives attached to his convoy which he said saved his live.
“When we were approaching Mokola Junction in Abeokuta North Local government, we saw some group of people approaching us, we realised that they were fully armed.
“Suddenly they started shooting. Thank God for the gallant policemen who were on ground and rose up to the occasion and chased them away.
“If not for them, only God knows what would have happened today. It is unfortunate that our politics has gotten to this level where it has become do or die affair.
“We should rather canvas for votes and endear ourselves to the people. That is the only way that we would have peaceful election”.
When contacted, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi confirmed the attack on the APC governorship candidate within Abeokuta metropolis.
Oyeyemi who explained that information at his disposal regarding the incident was still sketchy, however, said that the Command’s CP had deplored policemen into the metropolis to contain further breakdown of law and other.
