‘A Known Thug Can’t Push Senator Around’ — Basiru Speaks After Clash With Gov Adeleke At Osogbo Eid Ground

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On Wednesday, a clash ensued between the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke and former spokesperson to the Nigerian Senate, Ajibola Basiru, at the Osogbo Eid prayer ground over sitting arrangement.

Basiru explained that he had arrived at the venue located in the Oke-Baale area of Osogbo alongside the Asiwaju of Musulumi of Yorubaland, Chief Tunde Badmus, for Turakat prayer when the incident happened.

He said a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) named Raji Muniru approached him and asked him to leave the seat where he was sitting because it was reserved for Governor Adeleke and that he obliged by adjusting to the extreme edge of the front row.

However, the chieftain insisted that the Senator should go and sit at the second row because the governor would not like him to sit at the front row.

But Senator Basiru refused the directive and the chieftain attempted to move him by force when worshippers at the venue prevented that, insisting that Basiru is from Osogbo and must sit in the front row.

Amid the dispute, Chief Badmus went out of the prayer ground to usher in Adeleke who had just arrived. When the governor arrived at the seat, he noticed the skirmish and left the scene to sit in the car pending resolution.

When he returned, the rumpus persisted, prompting the governor to leave the Eid ground angrily without observing the Turakat prayer.

Meanwhile, Basiru and other leaders of the community observed the prayer.

After the governor left, police operatives stormed the area and attempted to arrest Basiru but were prevented by worshippers.

When THE WHISTLER contacted Basiru on phone, he explained that there were no indications that any seat was reserved for the governor.

According to him, no Governor’s advance team and protocol were at the venue to suggest that the governor was coming.

“What happened was that by tradition, there is a way the sitting arrangement of the Muslim community leaders and the government is done at the Eid. The Muslim community leaders are under the auspices of Asiwaju of Musulumi of Yoruba Land. So we had gone there to arrange the seat but shockingly before our arrival today, one zealot of the government who doesn’t have an official title, named Muniru Raji, had already put someone at the place we arranged to seat.

“So when we got there, we told them that they should let us sit on our mats otherwise they would let us remove our mat.

When we sat down, Muniru Raji came to assault me, instructing me to stand up because the place was not meant for me and I told him that there is no place reserved for anybody in the mosque.

He now told me that the place was meant for the governor, so I inquired if he is the protocol of the governor because I did not see any protocol nor advance team of the governor, no security personnel where I sat and no indication that where I sat was for the governor.

“Muniru Raji insulted me and in the process, worshippers surrounded me to prevent him from assaulting me at the praying ground.

“I don’t know whether the governor came to the Eid at all because I was surrounded by people. I later stood up and did my prayers.

“After the prayer, one of the policemen said the Commissioner of Police wanted to see me and I told him that I will see him together with the Muslim community leaders that I came with in the same vehicle. But they insisted that they must pull me out of the car which we all resisted

“We asked if they had any warrant of arrest. We explained the situation to them, that it was some overzealous supporters of the governor that caused the embarrassing situation because there was no indication at all that the governor would be there. So a known thug can’t push me around as a Senator of Federal republic in a place.”

He continued, “So the police saw that the matter can be resolved amicably and I was asked to leave with my leaders. I just finished my first meat of the Sallah at Asiwaju’s place and from here I am proceeding to all my leaders in Iragbiji and everywhere.”

Basiru stressed that “I don’t have problem with the governor of Osun State and there were no indications that where I sat was reserved for the governor. But overzealous supporters caused it. Maybe they have personal issues to grind with me but the people in the mosques resisted the attempt to embarrass me.”

However, Adeleke alleged that the incident was an attempted assassination by thugs of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Eid ground.

Speaking through his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor appealed for calm as soon as he had directed the immediate arrest of those that were involved in the scenario at the Osogbo Eid ground.

“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.

“The government particularly notes with shock and surprise the role played by former Senator Ajibola Bashiru who took over the space reserved for the Governor at the prayer ground. All efforts to get the former Senator to vacate the space proved abortive.”

He alleged that “PDP members who agitated for respect for the office of the Governor were beaten up. It was a scene of chaos by the time the Governor arrived for the prayer.

“The government was even more shocked that thugs armed to the teeth were spotted all over the praying ground with security information that they were imported to eliminate the Governor and key government functionaries.

“The Governor who arrived at the venue hoping to observe the Eid prayers was practically surrounded by armed thugs, prompting security men to ferry the Governor into his jeep.

“For the second time, the Governor attempted to enter the praying field but the encirclement by armed thugs was already visible. It was at that point that the Governor had to leave the praying ground. The Governor is now safely at home receiving guests and leaders from all walks of life.”