There was drama in Ogbomoso on Tuesday at a defection event in Oja’gbo organised to receive former Chief of Staff to Oyo State Governor, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi, and others into the camp of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant, Senator Sharafadeen Alli.
Eyewitnesses and some APC members who attended the event alleged that members were mobilised from Ibadan, Ibarapa and other parts of the state to create an impression of large turnout.
Several attendees who spoke on condition of anonymity claimed they were induced with money.
“We were given N3,000 each and free transportation to come and identify with Ogunwuyi and others at the defection event in Ogbomoso. Many of us are not from Ogbomoso, we were brought from Ibadan and Ibarapa,” an APC member from Lagelu, Badmus Oladele, alleged.
“They told us to come and make the crowd look big. That is why you saw many buses coming from outside Ogbomoso today,” another attendee, Mrs Fatai Tinuola, claimed.
The development has reportedly sparked outrage among some residents who described the event as staged.
In another twist, supporters of Alli at the event were alleged to have boasted that with former Senator Ayo Adeseun and Ogunwuyi in their camp, they no longer need the support of the Soun of Ogbomosoland and his people.
“Without them, Sharafadeen Alli will win in 2027. We don’t need Soun and his people,” an APC youth leader identified as Kola Kunbi was quoted as saying, a statement said to have generated anger in the town.
The comment was described by some as disrespectful to the traditional institution.
“If you need to pay N3,000 to get crowd, and you say you don’t need Soun of Ogbomosoland, then you have already lost Ogbomoso,” a political analyst in Ibadan, Comrade Philip Joel, said.
Meanwhile, there were also allegations of Abuja largesse in luring appointees who recently resigned to pitch tent with the former Chief of Staff.
An APC member from Awo-Ate who spoke on condition of anonymity alleged that all those who resigned were promised money and other benefits, with some already paid, claiming none of the defections was based on goodwill.
As of the time of filing this report, the Alli campaign team has not issued any official statement in response to the allegations.
