Violence hits Oyo PDP Reps, House of Assembly primaries

Violence erupted at the House of Representatives and Assembly primaries conducted by the Oyo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the weekend.

At Ibadan South East House of Assembly Constituency II, the Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja and Chairman of Pacesetter Transportation Service Company, Dare Adeleke, were alleged to have prevented some delegates from participating.

Some delegates, who spoke with journalists at the Saint John Primary School, Alake Academy, Ibadan, claimed they were chased out of venue of the primary election.

Also, one of the delegates, Sakirat Sheu, alleged that she was already on queue inside the school when Arapaja and Adeleke came in with soldiers and sent her and others out of the venue.

Meanwhile, no fewer than three aggrieved aspirants vying for ticket to run for the House of Representatives seat in Ibadan South East/North East Federal Constituency, have decried the alleged use of force and intimidation during the party’s primary at the Goodwill Hall, Adekunle Orita Aperin, Ibadan, saying that no primary election was held.

The aspirants, Deji Aboderin, Dr. Kazeem Adesina Oladupo and Niyi Aborisade, accused Abass A.Adigun, member, House of Representatives for Ibadan North East/South East Federal Constituency, of muscling them down with the use of force.

Aboderin said that the event showed that the PDP government in Oyo State is a failure. He said: “There was no (primary) election today; the three of us who are contesting for the party’s ticket were there. There was no enabling environment. The leadership has failed us totally by not providing enabling environment where free and fair election could hold.”

Oladupo said: “There was no primary election in Ibadan North East and South East Federal Constituency today. They might come up with a winner but there was no primary. The atmosphere was not conducive and it was really discouraging and sad.”