An altercation between Osun State governor Ademola Adeleke and a former Senate spokesman Ajibola Basiru almost marred Eid prayers by Muslim faithful in Osogbo, the state capital.
The faceoff started when Basiru declined to vacate the front row of the mats arranged at the Prayer ground at Oke-Baale.
The former Senate spokesman claimed that the incident was orchestrated by an official of the government to embarrass him.
But Adeleke’s spokesman Olawale Rasheed explained that the presence of some people, who he said, were armed within the praying ground, when the governor arrived, is an attempt on the governor’s life.
The Nation gathered that when Basiru was informed that where he sat was meant for the governor, he moved to another mat in front.
The attempt to relocate Basiru led to an arguement which was ongoing at the time of the Governor Adeleke’s arrival.
On sighting the rowdy scene, Adeleke returned to his car. Some minutes after, he came back only to see Basiru still in the front row.
Ostensibly angered by that, Adeleke left without praying.
Minutes after that, some policemen arrived at the praying ground, shut the gate and told the worshipers that they had a directive to arrest Basiru.
Some of the worshippers resisted them and forced the gate open.
The prayer were observed by Basiru and other prominent indigenes of Osogbo
After the prayers, Basiru explained that he neither saw Adeleke at the Eid nor his advance and protocol team. He added that there were no indications that any seat was reserved for the governor.
He said: “What happened was that by tradition, there is a way the sitting arrangement of the Muslim community leaders and the government are done at the Eid. The Muslim community leaders are under the auspices of Asiwaju of Musulumi of Yoruba Land. So, we had gone there for the arrangement of seats, but shockingly before our arrival, one Muniru Raji had already put someone in the place we arranged.
“Muniru Raji insulted me and in the process, worshippers surrounded me to prevent him from assaulting me. I don’t know whether the governor came to Eid at all because I was surrounded by people. I later stood up and did my prayers.
“After the prayer, some policemen said their Commissioner wanted to see me and I told him that I will see him together with the Muslim community leaders that I went with in the same vehicle. But they insisted that they must pull me out of the car which we all resisted. We queried if they have any warrant of arrest, and we explained the situation to them, that it was some overzealous supporters of the governor that caused the embarrassing situation.”
However, Adeleke who appealed for calm, directed immediate arrest of those involved in the incident.
He said: I am safe by the special grace of God. I have directed security agencies to arrest those behind the incident and get them to face the wrath of the law.
“The government particularly notes with shock and surprise, the role played by former Senator Ajibola Bashiru who took over the space reserved for the governor at the prayer ground. All efforts to get the former Senator to vacate the space proved abortive.”
He alleged that “PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) members who agitated for respect for the Office of the Governor were beaten up.”
At the Dodan Barracks Prayer round in Lagos, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, felicitated Muslims over the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
He urged Nigerians to unite behind President Bola Tinubu in his determination to make the country better.
“It is our duty to pray for our leaders. We must pray for our President that God should help him to succeed in the task before him,” Sanwo-Olu said.
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