The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, responded to the alleged attack on Governor Ademola Adeleke at the Osogbo Eid praying ground and described the incident as barbaric and despicable.

The Speaker, while condemning the attack on the governor by suspected political thugs, also appealed to security agencies to go after the perpetrators behind the attack.

Egbedun, who ascribed Adeleke’s escape to the grace of God and hailed the governor’s security details for being gallant, warned that perpetuating a violent attack against a state governor was a crime that should come with a heavy punishment. In a statement, the Speaker’s Chief Press Secretary, Tiamiyu Olamide, noted that the attack on Governor Adeleke was on the Osun State people. The statement described the attack as an overreach and strongly condemned it in its totality.

The statement also passed a subtle jibe at the governor’s opponents:

“Trying to exert the pain of losing, which today’s attack represents, is a big miscalculation and will continue to stand as an albatross in your subsequent political journey,” it stated. Similarly, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Osun has also reacted to the attack on Governor Adeleke. In a statement by the party chairman in the state, Sunday Bisi, he described the attack as a plot to destabilize the state.

While cautioning Senator Ajibola Basiru to watch his conduct, the PDP urged the police to be alert for the dangerous situation as it can push the state to a chaotic edge.

The PDP also warned people attempting to disrupt the peace of Osun state and declared that they would meet with an equal measure of resistance. Bisi also apologised to the Muslim Ummah in the state for the violence at the holy ground and assured that adequate measures would be implemented to prevent such.

Politics Nigeria reported on Wednesday, June 28, that the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, was allegedly attacked at the Eid prayer ground, Oke-Baale, Osogbo.

One account of the attack suggested an attempt on the governor’s life. At the same time, another debunked the rumour and described the incident as a misunderstanding arising from the disagreement between the governor and Senator Ajibola Basiru over sitting arrangements.