Posted by From Tunji Omofoye, Ibadan on
THE political crisis rocking Oyo State deepened at the weekend with Governor Rashidi Ladoja accusing the state police command of conniving with attackers who destroyed the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) office in Ibadan.
THE political crisis rocking Oyo State deepened at the weekend with Governor Rashidi Ladoja accusing the state police command of conniving with attackers who destroyed the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) office in Ibadan.
Scores of hoodlums alleged to be loyalists of a prominent politician in Ibadan, the state capital, had at the weekend launched a violent attack on the commission's office along Queen Elizabeth Road, Ibadan and destroyed sensitive materials while four officials of the commission were severely injured.
The hoodlums, who arrived at the commission's office in a convoy of vehicles and armed with dangerous weapons, were protesting the planned conduct of the council elections stated for May 19, 2007.
But Ladoja, in a reaction to the incident, accused the state police command headed by the Commissioner of Police, Jonathan Johnson, of complicity. He said mobile policemen who allegedly accompanied the hoodlums were from the state.
The governor, who said the attack, the second on the commission within a week, was uncalled for, however reiterated the determination of his administration to go ahead with the elections, earlier scheduled to hold last Saturday but later postponed to give more room for political parties to prepare.
Ladoja, while expressing serious concern about the alleged involvement of law enforcement agents in the attack, warned against the use of state agents in unleashing terror on the people.
He noted that no amount of threats would dissuade the state government from holding the elections, pointing out that those dissatisfied with the arrangement should make use of the approved channels to seek redress.
He assured the citizens of adequate security to life and property during the elections, urging them to go out to cast their votes for parties of their choice on Saturday.
He said the police chief could not absolve himself from the activities of the hoodlums, adding that information at his disposal showed that some anti-riot policemen who accompanied the hoodlums to the SIEC office were drafted from the state command.