‘Wicked’ opponents still after Ibadan politician, years after escape to exile

*They attacked his look-alike thinking he had returned home – Eyewitness

*Nigerian security landscape presents worrying challenges to political stakeholders, country

By KEMI KASUMU

The dangerous way some Oyo State political players carry their activities has been taken to the next level as, years after escaping death and running into self-exile seeking asylum abroad, Oladejo Sarafa Korede is being trailed for a kill.

This was as we gathered, in Ibadan, Oyo State capital in South West Nigeria at the weekend, that an innocent citizen thought to be Oladejo was descended upon by political thugs working for some bigwigs, who have found the soaring popularity of the former Accord Party (AP)’s House of Representatives Candidate as a threat to their political interest.

The Oladejo Sarafa Korede’s look-alike, who is the latest victim, is Rasheed Adio Oladejo, his cousin, of address Nw1/257, Agbeni, Ibadan, Oyo State.

He was attacked by Moshood Ekugbemi’s group called “One Million Boys”, over Efunsetan Aniwura Land at Alomaja Ibadan.

“These guys just don’t want to see Hon Oladejo Sarafa Korede anywhere in Nigeria because there is no state they have no agents. They believe that the moment he is here again, they are finished as he can network from any particular of Nigeria to achieve his goal in Oyo State. But where is the crime of this super grassroots mobiliser, whose offence is simply that he is naturally loved and command the respect of people in his Federal Constituency,” an eyewitness, who for security reason insisted on anonymity, asked.

The DEFENDER investigations revealed that Oladejo’s plight started in 2014 when, despite emissaries and advances to him to come in and freely win election for a ruling party as candidate, he insisted on remaining as candidate of his Accord Party, which ideology he believed in and stood by.

Although, allegedly rigged, Oladejo lost to the ruling party in 2015 due to activities of political thugs and the problems have grown until last month, November 2022, when the attack occurred again but, this time, to a person his untiring assailants thought was Oladejo Sarafa Korede.

The problem of politically motivated violence, which has become synonymous with Nigerian politics with or without electioneering season, has continued to heighten not only in Oyo State but across the South and North of Nigeria.

Between January and the time of filing this report alone, The DEFENDER has been given a count of over 100 Nigerians in politics, who are now currently in self-exile abroad for the safety of their lives.

“In October, the campaign train of the Lagos Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates, including governorship candidate Dr Olajide Adediran and his deputy, Funke Akindele, were attacked by suspected political thugs,” another source who also insisted on anonymity for fear of being attacked, said.

Noting how political violence escapes scrutiny under the air of general insecurity, a published investigative report recalled that three delegates of the PDP governorship primary election in Minna, Niger State, and one other person were killed in politically motivated circumstances in late May, 2022.

“The security landscape presents worrying challenges to the political stakeholders and the country. Under the present circumstances, it is nearly impossible to conduct a hitch-free election in every part of the country. As a result, INEC is preparing itself for supplementary elections in areas where voting might not hold due to violence. Such a solution is within the realms of acceptance for thinly-stretched security services already battling insecurity on multiple fronts,” the report said.

Looking back to previous elections with their attendant losses of lives, the report said:

“The 2015 general elections were postponed for six weeks because of the military’s operation to liberate territories held by Boko Haram to enable the conduct of elections. In 2003, the momentum has shifted, with more armed groups holding territories in a menace of the proliferation of vast ungoverned spaces. The 2023 elections taking place in the country’s deeply insecure terrain will surely have a profound impact on the credibility of the polls and the legal proceedings that may arise under the present circumstances.”

Several other victims of politically motivated violence or killings have been recorded so far in Oyo State, some of which were hitherto blamed on herdsmen attack until the government revealed and confirmed them to be political. Among such sad events were the killings of Honourable Temitope Sugar in 2019, Honourable Fatai Borode (early 2022) and more.