PDP Ward Congress Turns Bloody In Osun, 2 Lives Lost

BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – Two persons have been reported dead as crowd violence trailed the ward delegates’ congress of the Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in some parts of the state.

Confirming the bloody incident, the Osun State Police Command said the two lives lost during the Congress elections were recorded in Iwo and Ife-North Local Government Areas of the state.

According to the Command’s spokesperson, Superintendent of Police (SP) Yemisi Opalola; “One Toheeb Mutallib was killed at Agberire village in Iwo Local Government Area after he was cut with a cutlass, while the other victims were taken to an undisclosed hospital and responding to treatment.”

Opaloda also confirmed that; “One Aremu Olamide too was killed with a gun in Ipetumodu, Ife-North Local Government Area, while the other victim was also taken to hospital and is being treated.”

The ugly development was recorded as the main opposition party moved to elect three delegates from each of the 332 wards across the state, who will participate in choosing the Party’s gubernatorial flag-bearer come March 7, 2022.

While Mutallib was confirmed killed at ward 14 Oke-Oba, Agberire, in Iwo Local Government Area, Olamide, lost his life in Ipetumodu, Ife-North Local Government Area with one of his alleged killers reportedly shot in the leg and taken to a hospital for treatment.

Reliable sources said many party members were injured during the fracas that ensued when some hired political thugs attempted to disrupt the exercise in many council areas, especially in Ede, Iwo, Odo-Otin, Olorunda, and Osogbo among others.

Also reports on the incident indicated that a car belonging to one of the contending groups was set ablaze in Ipetumodu, following a clash between some political hoodlums in the town.

But reacting to the development, PDP’s Director Media and Publicity in the State, Oladele Oluwabamiji, denied knowledge of parallel congresses in any part of the state, maintaining that all contending groups participated in only one congress organised by the Party.

Offering an insight on the exercise, the PDP Spokesman said; “We started the process together, the Congress Committee led by Governor Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State met all the aspirants with party stakeholders and it was agreed that each aspirant should have observer/monitors in each of the wards across the state.

“We left the collation centre at WOCDIF for the respected wards. Those that are shouting that the congress was disrupted were only saying so after their expectation was not met.”

Oluwabamiji, who admitted that “There were pockets of crisis here and there”, however described the “process as largely peaceful.”