The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Osun state chapter Saturday dissociated itself from Friday’s attack on the convoy of the state’s First Lady, Kafayat Oyetola.
The Nation reported Friday that Mrs. Oyetola’s convoy was attacked around the Owode area of the state and some of her aides suffered bruises.
Osun Police Spokesperson, SP Yemisi Opalola, in a statement Saturday, confirmed the incident, adding that one security personnel on the convoy was injured, while five suspected hoodlums were arrested by the police.
Opalola said: “On Friday, at about 8:30pm, the police received credible information that, at Owode, Ede Market expressway, some hoodlums were attacking the convoy of the wife of Osun Governor.
“The Divisional Police Officer ‘A’ Division, Ede, promptly mobilised and led detectives to the scene where the team met CSP Dauda Ismail, the Chief Security Officer to Gov. Gboyega Oyetola of Osun.
“CSP Ismail briefed the team that one Omolola Opeyemi, a driver from Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, drove an unregistered truck and blocked the movement of Oyetola.
“As a result of the traffic blockage, some hoodlums took advantage and started stoning the convoy of the governor’s wife, thereby, wounding the truck driver on his forehead and also injuring a DSS personnel.
“However, five suspects were arrested from the scene and an investigation is in progress.
But in a statement titled ‘How First Lady’s Escorts Beat Up Truck Driver, Sparking Public Reaction – Osun PDP’ the party through its state PDP Media Director, Oladele Bamiji, disagreed with the police’s version.
The party alleged that the attack was triggered by Mrs. Oyetola’s escort who beat up a truck driver for blocking the road with his vehicle.
The statement reads: “We are shocked to read this morning the futile attempt by the office of the outgoing First Lady to cover up the irresponsible conduct of her escort who beat up a truck driver at Owode, leading to the public’s angry reaction against her entire convoy.
“According to eyewitness accounts, yesterday (Friday) was Owode Ede market day and the road was expectedly crowded.
“A truck had developed a fault right in the middle of the road with the driver making efforts to get it to work.
“That was the point the First Lady’s convoy arrived at the scene.”
The party claimed that the convoy’s security operatives “pounced on the truck driver” and rushed him to the hospital after he slumped.
“It was at this point that people around the market angrily reacted, pelting the convoy with stones and others.
“Eye witness accounts further revealed that as of the time the convoy was attacked, the angry crowd were not even aware of who was in the convoy until reinforcement was sent to the scene from Government House with sporadic shootings.
“We have gone this far with the details of the incident to strongly deny allegations that PDP thugs were responsible for the self-inflicted attacks on the convoy of the First Lady,” the statement added.
