Battle-ready security operatives have sealed off the Ake Palace Ground in Abeokuta to avert break down of law and order following moves by All Progressives Congress (APC) members loyal to ex-Governor Ibikunle Amosun to hold a parallel State Congress.
The operatives from the Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps(NSCDC) as well as members of the Department of State Service(DSS) were seen taking over the palace ground.
They blocked the entrance to the palace arcade ground with vehicles and prevented Amosun loyalists from going ahead with their planned parallel APC Congress.
There has been fierce war by proxies between Governor Dapo Abiodun and his predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, over the soul of the APC in Ogun State.
People suspected to be political thugs from both camps were said to have clashed at Ake Palace area over the planned parallel Congress.
The APC members loyal to the immediate past Governor had widely advertised the Ake Palace Arcade Ground as venue of their parallel APC congress while the Hon. Wale Ohu- led State Congress Committee for Ogun State fixed the MKO Abiola International Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta, the state capital, as venue for the Congress.
Security operatives deployed for the exercise had as early as 5am arrived at the two separate venues in readiness for the task.
As at 9am at the purported parallel APC Congress in Ake Palace Ground, scores of party members loyal to Amosun were seen scattered and loitering around the Ake Centenary Hall where they camped directly opposite the security operatives who had taken over the Palace Ground where their canopies were mounted the previous day.
Wale Ohu, during the screening of aspirants at the State party Secretariat on Abiola Way, Abeokuta, threatened arrest on anybody or group planning to conduct separate congress anywhere in the State.
Describing such people as “impostors” and “mischief makers,” Ohu declared that any congress conducted outside MKO Abiola Stadium would be deemed an “exercise in futility, null and void.”