Sarafa Ibrahim, a media aide to the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has alleged that thugs hired by former Senator Ajibola Basiru attacked the governor during the traditional Eid prayers at the Osogbo Eid praying ground on Wednesday.
According to the media aide, the Chief Imam was set for the prayers which was a traditional part that marks the beginning of the festival, when the incident happened.
The media aide said, “They came with machetes and all sorts of weapons at the Eid prayer ground. The governor was not even in Osun as he was in Lagos to have a meeting with the United States Consular General.
“He came straight to the Osogbo Eid prayer ground and upon sighting him, they just mobilised. They even attacked the House of Representatives member for Osogbo/Olorunda/Irepodun/Orolu Federal Constituency, Maruti Adewale Adebayo.
“It was obvious that they already planned the attacks. SRJ is playing with fire. What they just did is treason. For them to attempt to kill the leader of a state.
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“Some of his boys were identified among the thugs. They came with weapons purposely to stop the governor from accessing the prayer ground.
“The governor was whisked away by his security aides and he left Immediately.”
An eyewitness, however, debunked the news of the attempted assassination of Adeleke saying that the governor and Basiru disagreed over the sitting arrangements.
According to him, “The front row after the Imam at the Eid prayer ground in Osogbo is usually reserved for the dignitaries and they include, Senator Basiru, Ataoja of Osogbo land, Khamis Olatunde Badmus and the governor whenever he is around.
“It was gathered that when Governor Adeleke arrived, he directed that Senator Basiru should vacate his reserved position for him.
“SRJ insisted that he will not vacate his reserved position because they are at the Eid prayer ground which made the governor angrily storm out of the venue of the prayers.”
Furthermore, the eyewitness revealed that security personnel were directed to arrest SRJ upon which the access gate to the Eid ground was shut.
“The Osogbo Indigenes at the Eid prayer ground rose up in protest that nobody would be arrested but the matter has been resolved.
“There was no attempted assassination on the life of Governor Ademola Adeleke,” he said.
Attempts to get the reaction of Senator Ajibola Basiru proved futile as phone calls to him went unanswered and messages sent to him were not responded to.