The meeting of the All progressives Congress Committee on true federalism, which held in Akure, the state Ondo State capital, was disrupted earlier today by thugs, led by the Osun State Commissioner for regional integration, Mr Bola Ilori.
Though the event was organised by the APC leadership as part of the efforts to discuss and a take a stand on the issue of true federalism, the thugs arrived the venue dressed in attires bearing insprictions, such as Oramiyan, and carry weapons, including cudgels and guns,
Signs of what to expect began to manifest soon after the chairman of the occasion and APC Women leader in the South-south, Mrs. Rachael Akpabio, delivered her address, calling for memoranda from the stakeholders.
The Osun State APC delegation, led by Mr. Gbadegesin Adedeji, who presented the document prepared by the state to the committee had barely taken his seat when Mr. Bola Ilori rose and seized the microphone from the moderator of the event, and insisted he too must be allowed to talk.
He defied all efforts and supplications from the dignitaries on the podium, including the APC leaders, Chief … Akinyelure and foremost industrialist, Chief Ade Ojo.
Sensing that the Osun commissioner was out to cause trouble and disrupt the event, he was allowed to speak for some minutes before he finally agreed to hand over the microphone.
Playing out a well-written script, Ilori left the hall with the thugs who were chanting war songs and dared to inflict serious injuries on everybody present in the hall.
The hall, which was filled to capacity by eminent Nigerians, first class monarchs from across the state and representatives of different unions and socio-cultural groups was turned up side down when the thugs chased out the participants and used the chairs as weapons.
Interestingly, unknown to everybody, the flag poles were laced with nails and other sharp objects, and they readily became weapons in the hands of the thugs.
Ilori brazenly climbed the podium and once again seized the microphone to address his thugs.
“I thank you and I am very proud of you. Today, you have proved to me that you are capable of defending me and your interests anywhere in the country,” Ilori said, further emboldening the thugs to inflict more mayhem.
Having achieved his aim of disrupting the meeting, Ilori went to threating all Ondo State politicians not to step foot on the soil of Osun State, promising to teach them a lesson.
“Let me warn any politician from Ondo to stay away from Osun. We are ready and watching, and anybody who tries it will live to regret it,” Ilori threatened.
It, however, took a combined effort of all the security agents and the leadership of the APC from escalating into an all-out war.
It will be recalled that Ilori, though a purported APC member, had worked for the Alliance for Democracy (AD) as the spokesperson of the party’s gubernatorial candidate in the November 26, 2016, election in Ondo State.
