Alli urges Oyo elders to caution Makinde, Adekanmbi over alleged attacks

By Adejayan Gbenga

The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation has called on elders in Oyo State to caution Governor Seyi Makinde and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) governorship candidate, Bimbo Adekanmbi, following the reported killing of an All Progressives Congress (APC) member in Ibadan.

The organisation made the appeal in a statement issued by its Director of Media and Publicity, Bisi Oladele, in which it condemned what it described as a series of attacks on opposition members and campaign teams across the state ahead of the 2027 general elections. It identified the deceased as Ridwan, popularly known as Paul Moor, an APC member in Ward 6, Ibadan South-West Local Government Area, who was allegedly hacked to death with a machete on Friday.

According to the statement, Ridwan was attacked over his defection from the APM to the APC, a day before his 35th birthday. The organisation described the reported killing as disturbing and urged political leaders to take steps to prevent further violence, stressing that political ambitions should not come at the expense of human lives.

The campaign organisation also alleged that Senator Alli’s wife, Alhaja Tawakalit Alli, was attacked during a free medical outreach she organised the previous week. It further claimed that Folake Olunloyo-Oshinowo, the APC candidate for Ibadan North-West/South-West Federal Constituency, and the campaign train of Remi Oseni, the party’s candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, were attacked during campaign activities on the same day.

In addition, the organisation cited an alleged attack on the campaign team of Accord Party governorship candidate Oriyomi Hamzat at Molete in Ibadan. It described the reported incidents as threats to peaceful political participation and urged political parties and their supporters to respect citizens’ constitutional rights to freedom of association and expression.

Consequently, the organisation called on the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, and other security agencies to investigate the reported killing and alleged attacks, identify those responsible and ensure they are brought to justice. It said residents should be able to participate in political activities without fear of intimidation, harassment or violence.

The SSACO also urged traditional rulers, community leaders and other influential figures across the state to intervene and promote peaceful political engagement. It called on Makinde, Adekanmbi and the APM to caution their supporters against violence, adding that Senator Alli would continue with what it described as an issue-based campaign ahead of the 2027 elections.

As of press time, the accused parties were yet to respond.