Violence erupted on Thursday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, when known members of the Action Congress of Nigeria and the National Union of Road Transport Workers made to disrupt a political gathering put together by the leader of Accord Party, Senator Rashidi Ladoja.
The ACN and NURTW members, apart from injuring several members of the Accord Party, also destroyed the Public Address System, chairs and canopies to be used for the meeting.
Ladoja was to address some members of the ACN and the Peoples Democratic Party, who were dumping their parties for the Accord Party.
The meeting was for Olomi, Oluyole Local Government Area.
Sources at the venue of the incident said the attackers were led by the Chairman of the NURTW, Alhaji Taofeek Oyerinde, better known as Fele.
Fele was allegedly aided by men of Operation Burst.
They allegedly fired gunshots into the air, burnt some canopies and vandalized the vehicles of Ladoja’s supporters.
The car of a reporter with Newswatch Daily, Laide Oyelude, was also vandalized.
Ladoja told newsmen shortly before he left his Bodija, Ibadan home for the political gathering: “He (Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State) is the Chief Security Officer of the state.
“Is this what they want to do?
“Can he prevent us from doing what we want to do?
“Is this not worse than the politics of (late Chief Lamidi) Adedibu’s era?
“After Tokyo, it was Eleweomo.
“Have they been able to suppress us?”
Ladoja later told his supporters at Olomi after the police had taken control of the situation: “They said we should not come, but we have come.
“We know the people who are emboldening the party members to attack us.
“Such people give support only for three days after which things will change.
“We know from history.
“Today, God is with us and that is why we have come to Oluyole to show our appreciation to the people for their support.
“They tried for us when we were just three months old.
“We are not out to disrupt the peace of the state, but rather to talk to our people.
“Why should the people come to attack us?
“Part of what is causing them displeasure is that our lawmakers and other political nominees, who were sacked, all returned to the Accord Party.
“It is rare in the history of politics to have all such members back without some of them compromising and joining the ruling party.
“They were sent away because they were not part of the government’s decision of destruction of people’s shops and their means of livelihood.”
Ladoja commended the security agents also.
He said: “They really performed their duty today.
“I commend them very well.
“People should know that government is for everybody.”
But the ACN has denied responsibility for the attack.
The Publicity Secretary of the ACN in Oyo State, Kolawole Dauda, said the party does not encourage violence.
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