Suspected political thugs on Saturday disrupted the local government congresses of a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, believed to be loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The violent incident further exposed the deepening crisis within the party in the state, where two rival factions currently exist, one aligned with Wike and the other loyal to the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde.
It was gathered that the Wike-backed faction had scheduled its local government congresses across the state for Saturday.
However, the exercise was reportedly disrupted when hoodlums suspected to be political thugs stormed some of the venues and attacked party members while the congresses were ongoing.
According to Daily Post, sources within the party disclosed that the attackers targeted several locations, leaving many participants injured and damaging vehicles belonging to members.
About 10 people were said to have been attacked during the violence, while several vehicles were vandalised.
The chairman of the Wike-aligned faction in the state, Professor Abdulrahman Akinoso, confirmed the incident in a telephone conversation on Saturday afternoon.
Akinoso said the attacks occurred in several local government areas, including Ibadan North, Ogbomoso, Ibarapa Central and Akinyele.
According to him, the violence disrupted the congresses in those areas and left many party members injured.
He said, “Our local government congresses were attacked across Oyo State, Ibadan North, Ogbomoso South, Igboora (Ibarapa Central) and Akinyele.”
Akinoso further disclosed that vehicles belonging to party members were damaged during the attack in Ibadan North.
He said, “Three vehicles were vandalised in Ibadan North at Gbolarumi House, Are Avenue, Bodija. About 10 people were attacked across the state.”
