The Ogun State governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 election, Segun Showunmi, has recounted his ordeal with thugs at the election petition tribunal sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta.
OsunDaily News reported that both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and PDP called their members to come to the tribunal in a show of solidarity.
However, violence erupted when political agitators arrived, brandishing canes, and began to attack perceived opponents.
While addressing newsmen at his residence after the incident, Showunmi said he was in court to show solidarity to his party and the governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, being the first hearing of the PDP petition.
The PDP chieftain said he had approached the court gate and upon realizing there was no room in court, he decided to turn back.
However, thugs suddenly ambushed him with guns, cudgels, and whips before he ran into a security vehicle to seek help.
He said, “Today was the beginning, the opening of the tribunal and obviously a lot of people will go there. It is usual for leaders of political parties like us to show our faces so we can just show solidarity, not like we are leaving all our followers to do all the hard work while we sit in the comfort of our air conditioned rooms. And in my habit, I don’t move around with things or miscreants.
“I alighted a reasonable distance from the courthouse because I knew that parking would be a problem and I proceeded to walk. As I moved towards the environment, I saw some terrible characters that, in a decent society, should be in prison, milling around and driving all over the place. Some of them were fairly known operators who played around their parks and garages.
“I approached the court gate and it was locked and I realised that there was no room in the court anymore and I simply turned back; and as I made my way to leave, a horde of marauders descended on me, bringing out cudgels, whips; they brought out guns and they were generally misbehaving. Luckily, a security vehicle was not too far off and I entered into the security vehicle to make my way to leave.
“It was easy to explain an attack until I felt it physically, to ask myself how this type of madness happens here?
“I kept asking myself, how could they have been watching APC thugs hold guns and sticks?
“I was asking myself, when did Ogun State become a place where thugs are sent for the opening day of the tribunal? How does it become fashionable for you to mobilise miscreants to the tribunal?”
