Commotion as Adeleke, Ajibola Basiru clash over sitting arrangement at Osogbo praying ground

There was commotion at the Osogbo Eid prayer ground on Wednesday after Ademola Adeleke, governor of Osun, clashed with Ajibola Basiru, a former senator, over sitting arrangement. 

Muslim faithful in Osogbo, the state capital, had gathered at Eid prayer ground for the supplication.

Pandemonium started when a protocol officer informed Basiru that the front row where he was sitting was reserved for the governor.

The former senate spokesperson was said to have changed his seat to another section of the front row — a development that the protocol again kicked against.

Some moments later, the Osun governor arrived at the venue of the Eid prayer ground with some of his aides.

After the arrival of the governor, the protocol again insisted that the former senate spokesperson vacate the front row that was reserved for Adeleke.

The development created a scene at the prayer ground as some supporters of the former senator resisted the move.

The scuffle was said to have made the governor angrily leave the prayer ground.

ADELEKE ORDERS BASIRU’S ARREST

Meanwhile, Adeleke has called for calm in the state.

In a statement by Olawale Rasheed, the governor’s spokesperson, Adeleke said the incident was an assassination attempt on his life.

Adeleke has, however, ordered the commissioner of police in the state to arrest the former senator.

“My good people of Osun, I appeal for calm and urge us to continue to celebrate the Sallah festival in peace. I am safe by the special grace of God,” the governor said.

“I have directed security agencies to arrest those behind the incident and get them to face the wrath of the law. The commissioner of police has been directed to arrest those involved no matter how highly placed.”

Adeleke said he was shocked with the role played by Basiru “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”.

BASIRU: ADELEKE’S OVERZEALOUS SUPPORTERS CAUSED THE CHAOS

In a phone interview with TheCable, Basiru said Adeleke’s supporters made the situation worse with their “overzealous attitude” at the praying ground.

Basiru said Adeleke’s protocol with no official title approached him to vacate his seat.

“By tradition, there is a way the sitting arrangement of the Muslim community leaders and the government is done at the Eid,” Basiru said.

“The Muslim community leaders are under the auspices of Asiwaju of Musulumi of Yoruba land. So, we had gone there for arrangement of seat but shockingly before our arrival today, one zealot of the government who doesn’t have official title, named Muniru Raji, had already put someone in the place we arranged to seat. When we got there, we told them that they should let us sit on our mat, otherwise they should let us remove our mat.

“Muniru Raji came to assault me, instructing me to stand up because the place was not meant for me and I told him that there is no place reserved for anybody in the mosque. He now told me that the place was meant for the governor, so I inquired if he is the protocol of the governor because I did not see any protocol or advance party of the governor. No security personnel where I sat, no indication that where I sat was for the governor. 

“Raji insulted me and in the process, worshipers surrounded me to prevent him from further assaulting me at the praying ground. I don’t know whether the governor came to the Eid at all because I was surrounded by people. I later stood up and did my prayers.”

Basiru said he was called by the commissioner of police. But after he explained his side of the story, he was allowed to continue the celebration. 

“I don’t have a problem with the governor of Osun state and there were no indications that where I sat was reserved for the governor,” he said.