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Tag: Ogun APC Rally

  • Ogun APC rally: Police arrest six suspects

    Six persons suspected to be among those who caused trouble during the All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) rally in Abeokuta, Ogun State, have been arrested, the police said yesterday.

    This was contained in a statement by spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP).

    He said Olaoye Tunde, 40, Bashiru Alli, 40, Ayoola Muyiwa, 50, Yakubu Wahab, 28, Opeyemi Omiyefa, 31, and Akeem Biliaminu, 38, have been arrested and are being prosecuted at a Chief Magistrates’ Court II, Isabo in Abeokuta.

    Oyeyemi said: “The ugly incident of February 11 during the APC presidential campaign has been viewed with all seriousness, as any act of that nature under any guise will not be tolerated.

    “The command is taking this opportunity to warn anybody who may have the intention of fomenting trouble to stay clear of Ogun State, as such person or group will be dealt with according to the law of the land.”

    He said Police Commissioner Ahmed Illiyasu praised the people of the state for comporting themselves during the elections, adding that the peaceful conduct of the exercise showed high level of political maturity, tolerance and enlightenment on the part of the people.

    “On our part as an institution saddled with the responsibility of protecting life and property, we wish to reiterate our commitment to the provision of security before, during and after the remaining elections coming up on March 9.

    “Since another round of campaign has begun, the command appeals to politicians to play the game in accordance with laid down rules and regulations, as any act of violence, thuggery and hooliganism will not be tolerated.”

  • Attack on Buhari, Osinbajo treasonable, says Falana

    Lawyer and activist, Femi Falana (SAN) has said that the stoning of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo by supporters of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) during last Monday’s campaign of the All Peoples Congress (APC) in Abeokuta was treasonable.

    Reacting to the ugly incident Wednesday, Falana expressed regret that the Police has not arrested anybody in connection with the attack on the President, his Vice and other leaders of the APC.

    He said Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State cannot absolve himself of the blame as the chief security officer of the state.

    He regretted that governor Amosun visited Abuja several times before last Monday’s campaign with the governorship candidate of the APM, Adekunle Akinlade, the President welcomed them to the villa.

    He said the governor ought to have been told long before the campaign that his activities were anti-party.

    The lawyer also blamed the various security agencies in the state for the incident noting that they did nothing to prevent or stop the attack on the President.

    He said the security agencies, despite knowing that it was APC rally allowed another party and its supporters to infiltrate the venue.

    Read Also: 2019: Police will be professional, unbiased – IG

    Falana contended that this ugly situation persisted because Police and other security agencies that should be alive to their responsibilities did nothing about it.

    He recalled that in 2007, when former President Olusegun Obasanjo openly canvassed support for Dr Olusegun Agagu against Dr Segun Mimiko.

    He also recalled that some time ago, supporters of former Oyo state governor, Chief Rasheed Ladoja and Alao Akala clashed and six people died, the Police did not arrest nor prosecute anybody over the incident.

    Falana lamented the spate of disrespect and other acts against the person of the President of the country by the opposition, describing it as an insult against his office.

    He recalled that during presentation of the 2019 budget, when the president was booed by some members of the National Assembly, the only thing he said was that ‘the world is watching’, noting, “here in Abeokuta, he kept quiet and allowed the situation to degenerated”.

    He said when the President was attending rally of the APC, similar incident happened in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and Imo State in particular where the state governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha was campaigning for Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) gubernatorial candidate, nobody was cautioned.

  • APC accuses Amosun of sponsoring attack against Buhari, party leaders

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused Ogun state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun of sponsoring political thugs to cause violence and embarrass President Muhammadu Buhari and other party leaders during the party’s Presidential campaign rally in Ogun state on Monday.

    Political thugs disrupted the campaign rally at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, throwing stones and sachet water at the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and other party leaders for refusing to bow to the dictate of the governor and have his preferred candidate fly the party flag as governorship candidate.

    The APC governorship candidate in the state, Dapo Abiodun has also been attacked by the same political thugs on two previous occasions while on campaign in the state.

    National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa Onilu said in a statement that the party will not condone such act of indiscipline and will take appropriate disciplinary measure against the sponsors of the attack after the elections.

    The statement reads: “The All Progressives Congress (APC) regrets Monday’s premeditated attacks sponsored by Governor Ibikunle Amosun on President Muhammadu Buhari and other senior party leaders at the venue of the presidential campaign rally in Ogun State.

    Read Also: Amosun gloats over Ogun APC rally

    “This is one act of indiscipline too many. The APC will not condone acts of indiscipline, indiscretion and anti-party activities from any party member no matter how highly placed.

    “The party will review this gross misconduct of deliberately positioning thugs to attack and embarrass the President and the party’s leadership. The party will take a decision on this matter immediately after the elections. It must be stated that party supremacy and discipline according to our constitution are not matters of choice but binding principles which must be adhered to by all party members.

    “The APC is a party known for discipline, justice, fairness and equality; hence any plan to destroy what this party stands for would be rejected. No single person will be allowed to put his personal and selfish interests ahead of the wishes of the people of Ogun state and elsewhere.

    “Post primaries, the decision of the National Working Committee to uphold the wishes of party members is unbendable. Therefore, whatever means being presently deployed by persons intending to undermine the wishes of the people for personal gains will not be tolerated.

    “We urge our teeming party supporters and members not to be disturbed by Monday’s condemnable incident. We urge all to continue trooping out enmasse for our remaining campaigns and vote massively for ALL and ONLY APC candidates in the forthcoming general elections.“

  • Amosun gloats over Ogun APC rally

    Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun incredibly celebrated the near-riotous show at the Presidential rally of the All Progressives Congress in Abeokuta on Monday.

    According to a post on his Facebook page on Monday reporting on the event, Amosun gloated over the ‘protests’ by members of his Allied Peoples Movement(APM) and that the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, former governor of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola and the director-general of the Presidential campaign, Rotimi Amaechi were ‘booed and stoned”.

    Then he claimed that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who was instrumental to Amosun’s emergence as governor in 2011, escaped through the backdoor.

    His report did not accurately reflect what transpired at the rally, where President Buhari was almost attacked by the unruly APM supporters the governor invited to the APC rally, when the president presented Prince Dapo Abiodun as the APC candidate in the state.

    From TV livestreaming, the President presented Abiodun as the governorship candidate of the party, but Governor Amosun slanted his report to give the dampening side of it.

    “When Comrade Oshiomhole and some party members took Prince Dapo Abiodun to the president for him to present, the president instead announced, ”for the other elections, let the people of Ogun State decide”, Amosun reported in the post, which has attracted hundreds of adverse commentaries.

    *Read Amosun’s Facebook post:
    The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State boiled over today (Monday) when protests by party members marred the presidential campaign rally as party members booed the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, former Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Raufu Aregbesola and Director General of the APC Presidential Campaign, Rotimi Amaechi . Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the first time in the APC Presidential campaign, declined to make a speech at the event as he exited the venue through the backdoor as President Muhammadu Buhari made his speech.

    President Buhari, as he did at the presidential rally of the APC in Owerri , Imo State, asked members of the party in the state to vote for any candidate of their choice apart from the presidential election.

    Trouble started early in the rally shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari made a triumphant entry into the Moshood Abiola Stadium in company with the Vice President Yemi Oshinbajo, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and other chieftains of the APC.

    The Director General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Rotimi Amaechi in his opening remarks remarked that the rally was an APC campaign, a note that was received with a resounding shout of “no”, ”no” from the stands.

    The protests got louder when the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole came on board and disclosed that his mission was to introduce President Muhammadu Buhari and the gubernatorial candidate of the party.

    The disclosure sent the stands into uproar and sachets of water were hauled in the direction of the party chairman where other party chieftains were seated.

    Governor Amosun had to step in to appeal to the party members to be calm and not “disgrace” him before President Muhammadu Buhari. His repeated appeals fell on deaf ears and went into crescendo as the insistence of Comrade Oshiomhole to present the party flag to Prince Dapo Abiodun, further infuriated the party members.

    This led to uncontrollable heckling from the stands, forcing security men to erect a barricade around the President and other party chieftains.
    When it was time for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to speak, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, former Governor of Osun State, stepped in and his pronouncement that there were unfaithful party members at the gathering fuelled further shouts of rejection from the stands and he had to be cut short to take his seat.

    President Muhammadu Buhari, apparently noting the crisis at the rally, thanked party members for turning up in their numbers to receive him. He admonished them to vote for him in the February 16 presidential election.

    However, on the much awaited presentation of the gubernatorial candidate of the party, the president advised members of the “to vote for any candidate of their choice”.

    When Comrade Oshiomhole and some party members took Prince Dapo Abiodun to the president for him to present, the president instead announced, ”for the other elections, let the people of Ogun State decide”