… Alleges attack on campaign office by opponents
BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
The governorship candidate of Labour Party in the July 16 election in Osun State, Lasun Yussuff, has alleged that his political opponents are after his life over his insistence on contesting the governorship seat of the state.
Yussuff also disclosed that some unknown gunmen, allegedly hired by his political opponents, stormed his campaign office at Oroki Estate, Osogbo and destroyed the louvers and campaign billboards on Thursday night.
Addressing journalists at his campaign office in Osogbo on Friday, the immediate past Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives said he would be lodging complaints at the police and Department of State Security commands adding that security agents would find out the particular political party or person behind the threat to his life and attack on his office.
He said, “happenings in recent times, particularly since we secured the ticket of the Labour Party to contest the July, 16th 2022 election in Osun State, there have been some unusual behaviour by certain individuals and groups towards me and my campaign team. As a politician, I believe/think this is one of those antics in politics by some politicians until I started noticing open confrontations being carried too far which the public, especially security agents, must be aware of.
“I hereby seize this opportunity to intimate the press and public about the ugly incident/attack to our campaign office yesterday (Thursday) and some previous physical attacks to my person and my entourage in the past two weeks. All these ugly attacks on me, personally and my campaign office, point to the fact that my life and all others involved in my Gubernatorial Campaign in Osun are in serious danger.
“Last week, some group of political thugs abruptly stopped my convoy threatening and warning me of several planned attacks if we refuse to back down/stop our gubernatorial campaign. In fact, to put it straight, I was told point black that my life is in danger and that they will continue to trail me to attack me and also disrupt all my campaign activities and events anywhere in Osun State.”
On how the alleged attack took place, the governorship hopeful said, “At exactly 11pm yesterday (Thursday), some political thugs numbering about eight stormed my campaign office at Oroki Estate barely thirty minutes after we all left for the day. They came with cutlasses, guns and other weapons and descended on my billboards, signposts and windows of the gate house destroying everything in sight.
“The night guard in panic came out to challenge them with all his might. He was however, able to battle them causing them to run away. But this happened after they had destroyed everything outside the campaign office while the night guard’s resistance prevented them from gaining entrance to the campaign office.
“I therefore seize this opportunity to intimate the public and the whole world that my political opponents have sponsored some thugs to be after my life and to disturb our gubernatorial campaign. The security operatives are hereby put on red alert in this respect.
“I state here unequivocally that nothing can stop our campaign and no threats can stop me from becoming Governor of Osun State come July 16th 2022. I am peace loving and expect all contestants to be. Thuggery and hooliganism or employing violence to win election will not work this time around! Even using money will not!
“My campaign is based on issues and programs premised on changing the narratives for Osun and its people. The sitting governer and other contestants are hereby advised to desist from thuggery and hooliganism and let our campaigns be based on sound debates focused on issues and our programs for Osun economic growth and development,” Yussuff warned.
