Amosun hits back at critics denying he hired thugs to disrupt APC rally in Abeokuta

OGUN State's Governor Ibikunle Amosun has hit back at critics who have blamed him for hiring thugs to disrupt the recent All Progressives Congress (APC) rally in Abeokuta during which President Muhammadu Buhari and other party leaders were pelted with objects.

On Monday this week, the APC took its campaign rally to Abeokuta and as the party leaders announced Adedapo Abiodun as its gubernatorial candidate to the chagrin of the governor. Breaking with the party, Governor Amosun gubernatorial candidate is Adekunle Akinlade, who after failing to secure the APC ticket, defected to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), on whose platform he will stand.

After Mr Abiodun was announced as the APC governorship ticket by party chairman Adams Oshiomhole, hoodlums at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta began throwing missiles and objects at party leaders. This forced security agents to build a cordon around President Buhari and party leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu ended up throwing the APC flag away in disgust.

Governor Amosun has been heavily criticised for the incident, with some party members saying he should be expelled for what happened. He is accused of engaging in anti-party activities by backing a non-APC candidate against the official flagbearer and then hiring thugs to come to the stadium to disrupt its rally.

Hitting back at his critics, however, Governor Amosun issued a statement through his special adviser on information Rotimi Durojaiye, saying it is ridiculous that the party would accuse a governor of sponsoring thugs to the rally he organised and hosted. He also criticised the party chairman, adding that his comments calling for disciplinary action against the governor are another confirmation of the personification of the APC by Mr Oshiomhole who is using the party to vent his fight against Governor Amosun.

Mr Durojaiye added: “The position of the governor is that rather than dissipate their energy on those they will deal with after election, Comrade Oshiomhole and his co-travellers should be remorseful that their anti-democratic conduct has denied the APC scores of legislative seats and a number of executive positions across the country even before the elections. They do not need to wait until after the election, they should throw-in the towel now for undermining the chances of the party they have cornered for their selfish ends.”

“As the governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun was not only the host at the rally, he organised the grand reception for Mr President. The relationship between President Buhari and Governor Amosun is well known, so it is therefore unthinkable that someone will allege that Governor Amosun will organise thugs against the president."

He added that President Buhari was given an unprecedented rousing welcome at the Moshood Abiola Stadium on arrival and the atmosphere at the rally remained peaceful and carnival-like until former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola and Comrade Oshiomhole incensed the crowd with their unguarded speeches. Mr Durojaiye said that contrary to the erroneous impression being created that President Buhari's campaign tour ended abruptly following the incident, the president attended all campaign activities as scheduled after the rally at the stadium.