The presidential rally of the All Progressive Congress (APC), which took place in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, turned rowdy and factionalised, as some members of the crowd, apparently sympathetic to the course of the governor Ibukunle Amosun booed and pelted some of the party leaders who came up on the podium to speak.
Party chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, National leader, Bola Tinubu received most of the audience fury, as they were booed and pelted with stones and pure water sachets. President Mohammed Buhari missed being hit by a stone that was received by one of his security aide.
The audience anger was ignited when Oshiomhole came up to speak and attempted to introduce the APC governorship candidate, Dapo Abiodun.
Members of the audience would who were championing the course of Ibikunle who felt his candidate was cheated out of the governorship primary of the party, refused to allow him to do so as they shouted at him and hauled stones at him. He had to give way to some members of the party, among them Abike Dabiri to appeal to them for calm. Another unidentified member of the party continued to appeal to the audience, who at this point appeared unrelenting in their opposition, saying to them: “please in the name of God, eni suru”
Governor Ibikunle Amosun had lost out in his bid to secure the APC governorship ticket for his ally, Adekunle Akinlade.
The governor had accused Oshiomhole and some APC leaders of working against his interest through Abiodun’s emergence. He also vowed not to hand over to Abiodun. Shortly after, Akinlade defected to the Allied Peoples Movement and Amosun backed his action.
Not even, Tinubu would be allowed to address them. He was so enraged, at the turn of event in Abeokuta, that while he was leaving the podium, he flung the APC’s flag which was placed beside him and went to sit in his car parked in the President’s convoy.
While he was going into the car, he was followed by some suspected thugs who were shouting ‘ole’, ‘ole’ ,’ole ‘ole’ (thief, thief, thief ) after him.
At some point Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo was called in to calm them. He spoke mainly in Yoruba making efforts to make them see reason.
When the issue of raising the hands of the APC candidate was put off momentarily, the audience became calm and allowed president Buhari to address them. Buhari who spoke about his achievement told the audience that he would not care who they voted for during the governorship election, as it was their right to do so.
The rally was brought to an abrupt end after Buhari made another attempt to raise the hand of Dapo Abiodun, the APC governorship candidate in the state.
Immediately, the president raised Abiodun’s hand, some aggrieved persons threw objects towards his direction, forcing security operatives to form a ring around him. The event was aired live on Nigerian Television Authority.
