There have been claim and counter-claim of what actually transpired when the shout of thief welcomed the campaign team of the Peoples Democratic Party, led by the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, to Okuta in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The incident happened on Saturday, with the disputes coming to the fore on Sunday in posts on Twitter by some Kwarans and an aide of Saraki, Olu Onemola.
The embarrassment to the PDP campaign team came less than a month after the leadership of the party signed a power shift agreement with Elders of Kwara North Senatorial District that the governorship candidate of the party, Razak Atunwa, will only spend one term in office to pave the way for Kwara North.
The people of Okuta Baruten were seen in two short videos in circulation shouting “thief” as the convoy of the PDP arrived in the local government.
Today At Okute Baruten Kwara State, Saraki Ole rent the air… #Otogee pic.twitter.com/F6g4CfzDRF
— ADEBOWALE A ADEBAMBO (@Adebambo_A) February 2, 2019
However, Onemola said the plot was hatched by the APC.
He said: “The plan of the APC was already known, to avoid any violence, PDP members remained calm and unprovoked.”
He said APC supporters are pushing this “choreographed” video of a few APC thugs and children who were mobilised to the entrance of the PDP campaign rally in Okuta, where over 2,000 people showed up.
What happened yesterday in Okuta, Kwara State?
Answer: “Their plan was already known, to avoid any violence, we remained calm and unprovoked.” pic.twitter.com/RcQRui8wKN
— Olu (@Onemola) February 3, 2019
Onemola added: “These are the facts.
“About 50 meters to the venue of the rally, the mobilised APC elements, who were about 60, began chanting obscenities.
“The PDP supporters were in their thousands.
“To avoid any violence, based on instructions from the campaign, the PDP supporters in the area ignored the few APC supporters and went straight to the Emir’s palace.
“At the Emir’s palace, the huge and enthusiastic crowd began rooting and chanting for Bukola Saraki.
“The Emir of Okuta himself spoke glowingly of the Senate President and apologised on behalf of the mobilised miscreants.
“The Emir explained that the APC supporters had been fed with drugs to prompt their misbehaviour.
“The Senate President then proceeded to the rally, where he addressed a huge and enthusiastic crowd of supporters.
“#EndOfStory and #OTunYa.”