By Our Reporter
A political group, the Ibadan Conscience Vanguard has cautioned a former deputy governor of the state, Hazeem Gbolarumi over his allegation that Governor Seyi Makinde was behind the attack on his residence at the weekend.
The group warned the PDP Chieftain to stop trying to tarnish the image of Governor Makinde for personal and pecuniary gains.
The group in a statement by its Coordinator, Akinde Abass, said Gbolarumi’s antics and antecedents are well-known to the people of the state, hence the news of the attack didn’t come as a surprise to many people.
Corenews.ng reports that there was tension in Bodija area of Ibadan on Saturday as hoodlums suspected to be political thugs attacked the Bodija residence of the former deputy governor of the state.
The attack occured as the faction of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike begins it local government congresses across the country.
There are two factions of the PDP in the state. While one faction is loyal to Governor Seyi Makinde, the other faction is loyal to Wike.
Gbolarunmi fingered Governor Seyi Makinde as been behind the attacked, against perceived enemies whom he thinks are not ready to support his faction of the PDP
Aside from the attack on the personal residence of the party Chieftain, it was gathered that political thugs also attacked the venues of the congress across the local government areas of the state. Property worth hundreds of millions were destroyed in the attack.
The attack on the members occured while the congresses were going on at Ibadan North, Ido, Ibarapa Central, Akinyele and Ogbomoso North. It was gathered that no fewer than ten people were attacked with many vehicles vandalised.
Chairman of the faction loyal to Wike, Professor Abdulrahman Akinoso when contacted confirmed the incident.
Responding, Ibadan Conscience Vanguard challenged Gbolarumi to tell Nigerians the truth over the alleged attack on his home and to give whatever he collected from his financiers to his few aggrieved loyalists, who now feel used and cheated.
The group said there are different versions of the story on the attack and where it happened, while a version said some loyalists kicked against Gbolarumi’s alleged refusal to release the money he collected for the kangaroo local government congress of Wike’s PDP group, another version hurriedly put together tried to blame Governor Makinde.
The statement reads in part, “Ogbe, fi ohun fun olohun is a popular Ifa verse and it is the advice we would like to give to Mr Hazeem Gbolarumi at this time. If, indeed, as a political contractor and aimless political jobber that he is, he has collected money from sponsors to destabilise the PDP in Oyo State, then we advise him to share same out to the few loyalists who are in bed with him on the shameless voyage.
“We learnt that the few loyalists felt used and cheated and they were the ones, who fought back on Satuday. Of course, anyone who knows Gbolarumi’s story and his past would know the kind of loyalists he can have. He should please settle the boys and let Oyo State residents continue to enjoy the peace and order they have become used to during Governor Makinde’s administration.
“We would also like to put it on notice that residents of Oyo State cannot be deceived by Gbolarumi and clowns like Diran Odeyemi from Osun State; they know their governor as a man of peace and hundreds of stage-managed attacks and lies packaged to make their sponsors believe that the billions they got to oppose Makinde are being put to good use cannot sway the people.
“While sympathising with Gbolarumi over the attack from those whose belief in violence echoes what he himself once was as loyal boy of Baba Adedibu, we would like to counsel him to stop courting Ipanle and unscrupulous characters as loyalists and if he finds it difficult to not be friends with hooligans, he should at least learn to give what belongs to Caesar to Caesar.
“This is why we are asking; was the attack stage-managed to get more money from the drunk Emperor or to convince the boys that money don loss? Mr Gbolarumi, please listen to Ifa; Ogbe, fi ohun fun olohun.”
