Ogun: APC Leaders Flee Amid Gunshots as Thugs Cart Away Mace During Legislation, Details Emerge
- The APC leaders present at the inauguration of the Legislative Arm of Abeokuta North LGA fled for their lives when police allegedly fired shots in the air in front of the chamber
- Some thugs, allegedly acting on the order of the council chairman Lanre Oyegbola were said to have attacked the facility during the inauguration programme
- Oyegbola, who was also present at the chamber, was said to have opposed the positions of the councillors who insisted on voting for the principal officers of the house
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The inauguration of the Legislative Arm of Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State ended in chaos on Thursday, November 28. The ceremony, which was supposed to mark the beginning of a new legislative session, was disrupted when some youths, allegedly acting on the orders of Council Chairman Lanre Oyegbola, carted away the mace.
The crisis began when councillors insisted on electing other principal officers through a voting process, which Oyegbola allegedly opposed. Despite the chairman's initial support for Moruf Erubami's emergence as Speaker, the event took a turn for the worse when police officers attached to Oyegbola started shooting sporadically in front of the chambers.
Source: Twitter
Daily Trust reported that the All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders had to flee for their lives at the inauguration. Erubami, who represents Ward 15, confirmed the incident and accused Oyegbola of masterminding the chaos.
Ogun Council chair accused of abuse of power
According to Erubami, the chairman wanted to impose his preferred candidates as principal officers, but the councillors insisted on a vote. The house is reportedly divided, with nine members supporting Erubami and seven backing Oyegbola.
The incident has raised concerns about the leadership style of Oyegbola, who was recently sworn in alongside 19 other elected council chairmen in Ogun State. Governor Dapo Abiodun had sworn in the new council chairmen, but Oyegbola's leadership is already facing challenges.
Efforts to get Oyegbola's reaction to the incident were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls and messages. His media aide, Oluwakayode Ajibola, declined to comment, saying he was in a meeting.
Lawyer associates crisis to financial autonomy for LG
Okanlawon Gaffar, a lawyer, who spoke with Legit.ng, associated the crisis with the recent Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to the local government, adding that it is the beginning of grassroots politics at the council level. He said:
"This is just the beginning of politics at the grassroots level; since the Supreme Court granted the local government financial autonomy, Nigerians should expect more of it."
Ogun ex-deputy speaker accused of land grabbing
Legit.ng earlier reported that Edward Ayo-Odugbesan, the former deputy speaker of Ogun state, has been accused of deploying the service of the EFCC, police and other security agencies to claim land that originally belonged to the Agege LG in Lagos.
The stakeholders explained that the former lawmaker, a lawyer, had disregarded a court order that statuesque should be maintained and started encroaching on the land.
They called on President Bola Tinubu, Governor Babajide Sanwó-Olú, The Inspector General of Police, EFCC, and other security agencies to call Odugbesan to order and stop intimidating council officials.
Source: Legit.ng
