By Ayomide Otitoju
Grassroots democracy in Abeokuta North Local Government suffered a major setback on Thursday when suspected political thugs violently disrupted the inaugural session of the legislative arm of the council.
Reports indicate that tensions flared among some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the local government over the election of principal officers for the legislative house. Certain councillors were allegedly being groomed by influential party leaders to assume the four key leadership positions in the local government legislature. When these plans did not materialize, chaos erupted, halting the legislative proceedings.
Sources revealed that the mace, a symbol of the legislative authority, was taken by unknown individuals during the disturbance. The conflict, believed to be instigated by ambitious councillors and their supporters, led to the breakdown of law and order within the chamber.
A local councillor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that the disagreements among various stakeholders had been largely settled before the inauguration. However, despite prior resolutions, certain political figures acted contrary to the agreed terms. “It is quite unfortunate that despite the fact that a number of issues had been agreed upon, the political actors decided to act differently,” the councillor stated.
Another councillor expressed regret over the incident, highlighting that it could have been avoided if appeals from party leaders had been heeded. “The incident we saw today happened because the appeals made by key party figures such as Engr. Seni Ayorinde, Alhaja Faida Sarumi-Akintunde, Princess Ronke Ogunremi, and Mr. Adebayo (Alaga Mesan) were ignored,” the councillor said. “It is clear that some people are more focused on their 2027 election ambitions than the smooth functioning of the local government.”
A party leader, who witnessed the disruption, condemned the violence. He alleged that certain party leaders had attempted to ensure their loyalists secured the principal positions, and when that failed, they resorted to chaos. “We learned that these leaders, having realized their candidates would not succeed, brought in political thugs to attack local government staff and party members who came to witness the election of the officers,” the source revealed.
Sources further confirmed that the councillors responsible for the disruption have been identified, and the APC leadership is expected to take appropriate action in due course. The incident has sparked outrage among both party members and local residents, raising concerns about the deterioration of political decorum in the local government.
