A campaign vehicle of the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jimi Agbaje, in Lagos was attacked on Thursday.
Mr Agbaje said the attack on his campaign bus in Lagos is a sign of the growing intolerance of the ruling party in the state against opposition figures and supporters.
According to a statement issued by Mr Agbaje’s campaign office on Thursday, some hoodlums believed to be supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) attacked the PDP candidate’s convoy and left several people injured.
The incident occurred after Mr Agbaje had visited the palace of the traditional ruler of Iba, Goriola Oseni, in Ojo Local Government Area of the state.
“Vehicles in Agbaje’s convoy of about a dozen were attacked and damaged, including a Toyota Coaster bus that had its rear glass broken, while a Toyota “Hummer” bus had a side glass broken,” the statement said.
“Although the candidate himself (Mr Agbaje) escaped unhurt, several supporters sustained various degrees of injury and were left bleeding after some ruffians, believed to be loyal to the ruling party, gave the PDP team a hot chase with guns, knives, machetes and other assault weapons.
“Left injured were Tunde Lawal, Toheeb Alamu, Dayo Sofola, and Segun Moyo who were stabbed.
“Some on the entourage lost valuables, such as phones and cash belonging to Olufemi Musbau, Ajoke Sanni, Banji Ibrahim, Omolara Wonuola, Michael Mba, Mutiu Badiru, and Kalu Austin.”
The PDP also said their candidate was denied use of the Ojo Town Hall which their leaders had earlier booked for their council’s version of the series of town hall meetings Mr Agbaje had been holding around the state.
As a result, the party’s event was shifted to the sidewalk of the ever-busy busy Olojo Drive, in Ojo Local Government, where Mr Agbaje hosted hundreds of supporters under the watchful eyes of the police, the campaign said.
“Elections are about choice; it is about democracy,” the statement quoted Mr Agbaje as saying, after the incident.
“There is so much intolerance on the part of ruling party to having people choose their preferred candidates.”
When contacted, Joe Igbokwe, the publicity secretary of the APC in Lagos State, said he is not aware of the incident.
“We went to do our mega rally today in Ikorodu and almost all the leaders of our party were there and our supporters, so who were those boys that attacked them? We have not sent anyone to go and fight for us,” Mr Igbokwe told PREMIUM TIMES Thursday night.
“When our own supporters disrupted our campaign, did we say it was PDP? We went on air and said these are our party members. They should learn from us.”
Mr Igbokwe said there was no need for his party supporters to be violent or intolerant because they are “winning the election hands down.”
“Even if it is true that it was APC supporters that attacked them, we condemn it in the strongest terms. But I don’t think it is true. Some people are doing this to get at APC.”
Send Us News, Gist, more... to citypeopleng@gmail.com | Twitter: @CitypeopleMagz
