Ladoja, Olopooeyan, Gbolarunmi others decry political violence in Oyo

Former Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Rasheed Ladoja, yesterday, admonished politicians in the state to embrace peace as the 2023 elections are fast approaching.

His admonition came on the spate of allegations from major opposition that Governor Seyi Makinde has perfected arrangement to use violence means to intimidate all formidable oppositions or those he perceived may stand as obstacle to his re-election next year, out of the race.

On Monday, a former stakeholder of Oyo chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bisi Olopooeyan, who claimed to have irreconcilable differences with the governor, alleged that sponsored hoodlums operating on Makinde’s instruction disrupted his defection ceremony from PDP to New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) leaving many injured.

Olopooeyan in a telephone chat, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Director-General of Department of State Services (DSS) and critical stakeholders across the state to call Makinde to order.

SIMILARLY, National Chairman, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Dr. Olu Agunloye also alleged that about 30 thugs attempted to disrupt the party’s congress that was held in Ibadan last week. He alleged that the hoodlums were government agents sent to destabilise his party’s congress in the state.

Also speaking with The Guardian, yesterday, a former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Hazeem Gbolarunmi, expressed concern over the spate of political motivated violence in the state.

He said something cogent and urgent needed to be done to address the situation as 2023 election is fast approaching.

MEANWHILE, Ladoja said he was not really aware of the spate of violence since he has left active politics, told The Guardian that some of the alleged violence was being staged-managed.

However, a top security personal told The Guardian that all the identified hoodlums in Oyo would be adequately demobilised before the election.

He said: “When the time comes, necessary security agents would be deployed to ensure peace.”

SPOKESMAN of Oyo PDP, Akeem Olatunji said there was iota of truth in the allegations.

He said those making the allegations are not known in Oyo politics and that Makinde is not even thinking about them.