The presidential rally of All Progressives Congress (APC) held Monday in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital was abruptly brought to a halt, as hoodlums suspected to be working for a certain opposition political party disrupted the event.
The hoodlums, who had earlier in the day, successfully chased away supporters of the party’s governorship candidate in the state, Dapo Abiodun, also seized the main bowl of the M.K.O Abiola International Stadium, venue of the rally, chanting the anti-Abiodun’s slogans.
Not even the presence of President Muhammadu Buhari, who was already seated would deter the hoodlums who threatened further attacks on the dignitaries seated with the president at the podium.
The hoodlums however, hurled abuses on the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomole, shouting “thief, thief, theif” and eventually stoned him before ending his address.
The political thugs also displayed conspicuously, the banner of a rival political party, Allied People’s Movement (APM) at the event before Governor Amosun called them to order.
The development also forced the state governor, Ibikunle Amosun to plead with the hoodlums believed to be loyalists of the governorship candidate of APM, Hon. Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade not to disgrace him before president.
When the situation became tensed, twice the President Buhari’s security attaché had to encircle the president in order to protect him from being harmed by the sticks, sachets of nylon water and other dangerous objects which the hoodlums threw at the podium where the president and other dignitaries were seated.
The programme however, came to an abrupt end when President Buhari raised the hand of the APC governorship candidate in the state, Dapo Abiodun up and the hoodlums threw plastics of bottled-water at him, thereby forcing the president to abruptly end his address.
Outside the stadium, the convoy of APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and that of the former Osun state governor, Rauf Aregbesola were also stoned with sticks and sachets of nylon water.
Earlier in his speech, governor Amosun had charged his supporters to ensure that they cast their votes for President Buhari this coming Saturday, while they cast their votes for another candidate of their choice during the gubernatorial election coming on 2nd March, 2019.
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Amosun’s statement however, appeared to have boosted the ego of the hoodlums and other supporters into taking the action which they did.
But responding to Amosun’s statement, former governor Aregbesola had warned Amosun and his supporters to desist from act of hypocrisy regarding the gubernatorial election in the state.
Meanwhile, in the mêlée that ensured outside the main bowl of the M.K.O. Abiola International Stadium, scores of people suspected to be loyalists of Dapo Abiodun were injured, while the former state Commissioner for Forestry, Kola Lawal who is now contesting the House of Representatives of the Yewa South/Ipokia Federal Constituency on the platform of APM was also allegedly macheted.
But speaking earlier in his address, President Muhammad Buhari had promised that his administration would focus on security, economy and fight against corruption if re-elected for another term of four years.
The president said: “I am here specifically to thank you for coming out in your numbers despite the weather, to see and listen to us. I will like to remind you in 2015 our party, the all progressives congress made different promise and undertaking security, economy and fighting corruption.
“Where ever i go I try to update Nigerians on our performance for the past three and half years, the people of the north eastern Nigeria are the one mostly affected then by insecurity.
“Boko Haram has visually degraded the whole region, the problem in the north west and North Central is about the stagnant farmers which is under control”.
“On the economy we are lucky, the last three seasons, there’s a lot of rains which the government has try to provide fertilizer and reduce the price it used to be. We have now achieve food security Lagos, ogun, kebbi, ebonyi, jigawa are among the states who are doing well in producing rice, we are visually self -sufficient in rice.
“When we talk about infrastructure, we are building road, rails and power, you will be the witnesses by the time we complete the next four years.
“I admit you to practice your civic right to come out next Saturday and on the 2nd of March to choose whoever you like across the parties”.
“This is your right so there is no problem about it, I have no problem about it and you shouldn’t have problems about it”.
