The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation has raised concerns over an alleged plot to attack members of the All Progressives Congress and supporters of the party’s governorship candidate in Oyo State, while accusing suspected agents of the state government of vandalising campaign billboards.
The organisation called on security agencies to intervene, warning that the alleged development could heighten political tension in the state ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement, the campaign organisation alleged that hoodlums linked to the Allied Peoples Movement governorship candidate, Bimbo Adekanmbi, and Governor Seyi Makinde were planning fresh attacks on members of the Park Management System and other APC supporters.
It described the alleged plot as an attempt to intimidate opposition members and weaken the party’s support base across the state.
The organisation recalled previous attacks on APC members, including an incident in Ibadan in October in which an APC member reportedly lost his life. It added that several other party supporters had sustained injuries in separate incidents over the past two months.
According to the statement, the latest alleged threat was directed particularly at members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers supporting the APC, including a prominent member popularly known as Oyere and his followers.
SSACO claimed that suspected attackers monitored the APC’s manifesto unveiling at Theophilus Ogunlesi Hall last Tuesday, where the names of some NURTW members who had recently joined the party were allegedly compiled.
The organisation further linked the alleged development to the growing attendance at Oyere’s weekly meeting, which reportedly attracted hundreds of transport workers.
It also claimed that a meeting allegedly convened by a member of the governor’s inner circle around 10pm on Friday discussed plans to disrupt the gatherings of NURTW members supporting the APC.
The campaign organisation did not, however, provide independent evidence to substantiate the alleged meeting or the reported plan of attack.
On the destruction of campaign materials, SSACO accused suspected agents of the state government of vandalising Senator Alli’s billboards at different locations across the state.
It further alleged that billboard proprietors who rented advertising spaces to the APC candidate were being pressured, warning that such actions could undermine their businesses and restrict the party’s ability to campaign freely.
The organisation described the alleged destruction of the billboards as a setback for democratic participation and urged the relevant authorities to investigate the incidents.
“We call on the Commissioner of Police and other security chiefs to nip this alleged plan in the bud. Oyo State does not deserve political violence,” the statement said.
It also urged residents to hold political actors accountable for the conduct of their supporters, warning that any escalation of political violence could endanger lives and property.
Despite the alleged threats, the campaign organisation maintained that the APC would continue its political activities ahead of the 2027 elections.
It called on security agencies to take preventive measures to protect residents, political supporters and campaign facilities, stressing the need for a peaceful political atmosphere in the state.
