The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation has raised the alarm over alleged attacks on the wife of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo State, Alhaja Tawakalitu Alli, and two other APC candidates during separate political activities in Ibadan on Wednesday.
The organisation alleged that suspected supporters of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) were responsible for the incidents, which occurred at Ayeye, Orita-Merin and Idi-Arere areas of the state capital.
Mrs Alli was allegedly attacked during a medical outreach she organised at Ibikunle House, Ayeye, while the campaign trains of the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Aderemi Oseni, and the party’s candidate for Ibadan North-West/Ibadan South-West Federal Constituency, Folake Olunloyo-Oshinowo, were also reportedly attacked during separate campaign events.
Reacting to the incidents, the Director of Media and Publicity of the Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation, Bisi Oladele, described the attacks as “unwarranted” and “barbaric,” warning that political violence must not be allowed to return to the state.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Oladele called on Governor Seyi Makinde and the APM governorship candidate, Bimbo Adekanmbi, to rein in their supporters and ensure that political activities in the state were conducted peacefully.
He said, “The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation is at the least miffed by the unwarranted and barbaric attacks by Allied Peoples Movement hoodlums on Alhaja Tawakalitu Alli during a medical outreach she organised at Ibikunle House, Ayeye, Ibadan, on Wednesday.
“Sponsored hoodlums also attacked the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, and the party’s candidate for Ibadan North-West/Ibadan South-West Federal Constituency, Hon. Folake Olunloyo-Oshinowo, during separate campaign events at Agbaje Market, Orita-Merin, and Idi-Arere, Ibadan.”
The organisation urged security agencies to investigate the incidents and bring anyone found culpable to book.
It further accused those behind the alleged attacks of attempting to create an atmosphere of fear ahead of the 2027 elections, insisting that APC candidates would not be prevented from meeting with voters across the state.
Oladele said the right of political parties and candidates to campaign peacefully was guaranteed by law, adding that political differences should not become a justification for violence.
He said, “APC candidates and supporters in Oyo State will not surrender our inalienable rights to freely associate, gather and campaign within the ambits of the law. No amount of threats will deter the party from campaigning across Oyo State.”
The campaign organisation also appealed to the state government and political parties to focus on issue-based campaigns and allow voters to freely assess the programmes and candidates seeking their support.
It said, “The good people of Oyo State deserve issue-based campaigns, not violence. We advise Governor Makinde, Adekanmbi and other political parties to focus on presenting their programmes and policies to the electorate, not visiting violence on the people.”
The organisation maintained that the alleged attacks would not stop APC candidates from taking their campaigns to the people, urging political actors to place the peace and security of the state above their individual ambitions.
It also called on the security agencies to ensure that political campaigns ahead of the 2027 elections were conducted in an atmosphere free from intimidation and violence.
