Former spokesperson for the Nigerian Senate, Ajibola Basiru, has provided his account of the incident that occurred at the Osogbo Eid prayer ground, where he clashed with Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that Basiru recounted that he and Chief Tunde Badmus, the Asiwaju of Musulumi of Yorubaland, had arrived at the prayer venue situated in the Oke-Baale area of Osogbo for the Turakat prayer when the altercation took place.
According to the politician, he was approached by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) named Raji Muniru, who insisted that Basiru vacate his seat as it was reserved for Governor Adeleke. Basiru complied and moved to the edge of the front row.
However, the chieftain persisted, demanding that the Senator relocate to the second row, citing the governor’s preference. Unyielding, Basiru refused to comply, resulting in the chieftain’s unsuccessful attempt to remove him. Worshippers present at the venue intervened, saying that Basiru, being from Osogbo, had the right to occupy a seat in the front row.
During the dispute, Chief Badmus briefly exited the prayer ground to welcome Governor Adeleke, who had just arrived. Upon observing the commotion upon his return, the governor chose to sit in his car, awaiting a resolution.
When Adeleke eventually returned to the seat, the disturbance persisted, leading him to leave the Eid ground in anger without participating in the Turakat prayer.
Meanwhile, Basiru and other community leaders continued with the prayer.
Following the governor’s departure, police officers arrived at the scene in an attempt to apprehend Basiru but were thwarted by worshippers.
When contacted by phone, Basiru clarified that there were no indications of any seat being reserved for the governor, The Whistler Newspaper reported.
He noted the absence of an advance team or protocol for the governor, which would have suggested his imminent arrival.
“What happened was that by tradition, there is a way the sitting arrangement of the Muslim community leaders and the government is done at the Eid. The Muslim community leaders are under the auspices of Asiwaju of Musulumi of Yoruba Land. So we had gone there to arrange the seat but shockingly before our arrival today, one zealot of the government who doesn’t have an official title, named Muniru Raji, had already put someone at the place we arranged to seat.
“So when we got there, we told them that they should let us sit on our mats otherwise they would let us remove our mat.
“When we sat down, Muniru Raji came to assault me, instructing me to stand up because the place was not meant for me and I told him that there is no place reserved for anybody in the mosque.
“He now told me that the place was meant for the governor, so I inquired if he is the protocol of the governor because I did not see any protocol nor advance team of the governor, no security personnel where I sat and no indication that where I sat was for the governor.
“Muniru Raji insulted me and in the process, worshippers surrounded me to prevent him from assaulting me at the praying ground.
“I don’t know whether the governor came to the Eid at all because I was surrounded by people. I later stood up and did my prayers.
“After the prayer, one of the policemen said the Commissioner of Police wanted to see me and I told him that I will see him together with the Muslim community leaders that I came with in the same vehicle. But they insisted that they must pull me out of the car which we all resisted
“We asked if they had any warrant of arrest. We explained the situation to them, that it was some overzealous supporters of the governor that caused the embarrassing situation because there was no indication at all that the governor would be there. So a known thug can’t push me around as a Senator of Federal republic in a place.”
He continued, “So the police saw that the matter can be resolved amicably and I was asked to leave with my leaders. I just finished my first meat of the Sallah at Asiwaju’s place and from here I am proceeding to all my leaders in Iragbiji and everywhere.”
Basiru stressed that “I don’t have problem with the governor of Osun State and there were no indications that where I sat was reserved for the governor. But overzealous supporters caused it. Maybe they have personal issues to grind with me but the people in the mosques resisted the attempt to embarrass me.”
However, Adeleke has appealed for calm as soon as he had directed the immediate arrest of those that were involved in the scenario at the Osogbo Eid ground.
