The Osogbo Eid praying ground witnessed a tense moment on Wednesday as Governor Ademola Adeleke and Senator Ajibola Basiru had a heated argument over who should occupy the second row of seats reserved for dignitaries.
The Eid prayers, which mark the beginning of the festival, are traditionally led by the Chief Imam, who stays in the front row, while other notable personalities, such as the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, the governor and other leading politicians and sons of Osogbo, occupy the second row.
However, trouble started when Governor Adeleke arrived at the venue and demanded that Senator Basiru should vacate his seat for him. Senator Basiru, a former senator represents Osun Central Senatorial District, refused to comply, insisting that he had a right to sit in his reserved position.
According to an eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the governor became angry and stormed out of the venue of the prayers. He also alleged that the governor ordered his security aides to arrest Senator Basiru and shut the access gate to the Eid ground.
This sparked a protest from the Osogbo indigenes present at the prayer ground, who resisted any attempt to arrest Senator Basiru. They argued that they were at the Eid prayer ground for a religious purpose and not for a political showdown.
The matter was later resolved peacefully and the prayers proceeded without further disruption.
However, a media aide to the governor, Sarafa Ibrahim, gave a different account of what transpired. He claimed that thugs hired by Senator Basiru attacked Governor Adeleke at the Osogbo Eid prayer ground with machetes and other weapons.
He said that the governor was not even in Osun as he was in Lagos to have a meeting with the United States Consular General. He came straight to the Osogbo Eid prayer ground and upon sighting him, they mobilised to attack him.
He also said that they attacked the House of Representatives member for Osogbo/Olorunda/Irepodun/Orolu Federal Constituency, Maruti Adewale Adebayo.
He described the incident as treasonous and said that Senator Basiru was playing with fire for attempting to kill the leader of a state.
He added that some of his boys were identified among the thugs and that they came with weapons purposely to stop the governor from accessing the prayer ground.
He said that the governor was whisked away by his security aides and he left immediately.
Attempts to get the reaction of Senator Basiru proved futile as phone calls to him went unanswered and messages sent to him were not responded to.
