There was a weird drama at the Osogbo Eid Playing Ground as sitting arrangement led to a clash between some aides of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke and former Senator representing Osun Central, Ajibola Basiru.
Basiru had arrived at the praying ground alongside some prominent Osogbo indigenes for the Eid-el Kabir prayers and while waiting for the prayers to commence, it was learned that some people believed to be the governor’s aides informed him he was occupying the spot reserved for Adeleke and was asked to move to the second row.
The instruction led to disagreement, but Basiru was observed moving from where he earlier sat.
Adeleke had not arrived at the premises at the time the drama over the sitting arrangement was going on.
Upon arrival, Adeleke, who was ushered into the praying ground by Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta, Dr Tunde Badmus, could not proceed to the front row as the disagreement was still being resolved.
The governor’s convoy was later observed driving out of the area before the prayers started.
After the prayers, the entrance to the prayer ground was locked by the police, following claims that an order had come for Basiru’s arrest, but the entrance was later opened and the participants left the premises.
Reacting to the development, Spokesperson to the Osun Governor, Olawale Rasheed, described the situation as assassination attempt on the life of the Governor.
He said Adeleke has ordered arrest of those behind the “attack” on him.
“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”, the statement quoted the Governor as saying.
“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. Members of the public will recall an earlier security alert on an evil plot to destabilize the peace and stability of Osun state.
In his reaction, the Osun State chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Tajudeen Lawal berated the State government on the development.
Lawal stated that his understanding of protocol is that if a governor is to visit a place of which a praying ground is included, it’s the duty of the advanced party of the governor and his protocol unit to make a solid preparation with reference to the security of sitting arrangement.
The APC chairman observed that there was no reason why such lapses of the government protocols would not be experienced since the statutory security agents, the DSS, who were with Governor Adeleke before have not been brought back after there was an allegation that one of them was slapped by a female member of the governor’s family.
“The way and manner that the conventional policemen attached to the governor who are performing the statutory role of the DSS officers dress, has exposed them as heavily deficient in their strange assignment.
