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The immediate past spokesman of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, has reacted to allegations that he plotted an assassination attempt against Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, following the scuffle at a praying ground located at Oke-Baale area in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
There was a drama at the said Eid ground on Wednesday, June 28, 2023, as chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (PDP) clashed over a seating arrangement.
Bashir, who represented Osun Central in the ninth Senate, sat in the front row among other dignitaries, including the Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland, and Chief Khamis Olatunde Badmus.
However, trouble started when a PDP chieftain, Alhaji Muniru Raji, was said to have asked the Senator to vacate his seat, claiming it was reserved for the Governor who was still on his way to the praying ground at the time.
Bashiru, an APC member, ignored the directive and this led to a struggle between supporters of the two rival parties.
The melee was still on when Adeleke's convoy arrived at the praying ground, but the Governor did not alight from his vehicle as the agitations had become a bit heated.
He subsequently left the venue even before the two-Rakkah prayer started, a development that further infuriated the PDP supporters who attempted to attack Bashiru but met strong resistance from APC supporters.
Adeleke alleges assassination attempt
Moments after the incident, Adeleke’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, in a statement, said the Eid ground scuffle was an assassination attempt on the life of the Governor.
He accused Bashiru of being the mastermind of the alleged attempt while calling the people of the state to remain calm and continue their Sallah celebrations.
However, speaking on the incident on Channels Television's 'Politics Tonight' on Wednesday, the Senator described the allegation against him as spurious, insisting that he was nowhere near Adeleke and didn't even see him at the Eid ground.
He said, "I was at the eid praying ground today in Osogbo and I prayed at that eid. And by almighty God that I serve, I never sighted Governor Adeleke and I didn't see him at all. I only saw his video on your TV station today and he was on the premises of the eid by the video that I just saw now.
"And I saw him in company of several aides and people and walking from one place to the other. Nowhere from the video you just showed on your television screen now I was shown to be harassing, molesting, or doing anything against the person of governor Adeleke."