BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Some persons suspected to be thugs on Monday attacked journalists at the campaign rally of Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola in Gbongan, Ayedaade Local Government Area of the state.
The thugs, who wielded clubs, axes and other dangerous weapons, waylaid some vehicles, including the bus of the Osun State NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel and damaged the bus and other vehicles that plied the Gbongan Road.
Oyetola had finished addressing supporters at the campaign venue around 5:45pm before the fierce-looking men stormed out of the venue and took over the road when Governor’s entourage was about leaving the town.
When the correspondents were about to drive out of the venue, the hoodlums started attacking passing vehicles. One of them who held a big stick, smashed it on the NUJ bus while on motion. The bus’ side glasses were shattered.
Some occupants of the bus, including the Chairman of the Osun State Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Shina Abubakar, correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NANS), Victor Adeoti among other journalists, sustained varying degrees of injuries.
When Governor Oyetola’s convoy passed in the midst of the melee, the thugs did not attack his convoy but other vehicles branded with Oyetola’s campaign posters were attacked and damaged.
It was gathered that a disagreement had ensued at the campaign venue between thugs belonging to a notorious thugs’ leader from Osogbo, Asiri Eniba and some other thugs from Gbongan.
The Point gathered that some of Eniba’s boys had slapped those from Gbongan before they decided to transfer aggression on innocent road users.
Meanwhile, Oyetola had taken his campaign train to Orile-Owu, Ayedaade Local Government Area, where he urged electorate to vote for him and defend their votes afterwards.
The governor urged supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress not to sell their votes to overzealous candidates.
Also addressing residents of the community at a primary school field, the chairman of APC in the state, Prince Gboyega Famodun, charged party supporters not to fall to the antics of aggrieved members of the party who are loyalists of former governor and current Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola.
Famodun asked supporters to prevail on the factional members of the party, The Osun Progressives, to return fully to the mainstream party and desist from working against the chances of the party ahead of the July 16 governorship election.
He said should they continue to play spoiler games, it would boomerang.
Speaking in Yoruba language, Famodun said, “I want you to tell them (TOP members) to return fully to the party and if they do spoiler game, karmal will catch up with them. We know your pains and we will address them.”
