Governor Adebayo Akala
Raising an alarm over the spate of deaths on the highways during political rallies, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) issued a statement last week warning against reckless driving while promising to hold meetings with party leaders on the need for safety consciousness during the electioneering period.
On his own, the Nigeria Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Olusola Amore, lamented the deaths in an interview with Sunday Trust and said that “investigations were being conducted into killings during rallies and intelligence network had been improved upon. He added that “people must assist by alarting police of acts capable of causing conflict between supporters of rival parties.”
Only yesterday, six persons, believed to be members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] in Oyo State died on the spot as they were involved in a ghastly auto crash enroute the venue of
Governor Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala’s second-term re-election campaign rally in Oyo town. No fewer than 15 others reportedly sustained varied degrees of injuries in the accident.
Sources said that the victims were in the advance team of the PDP gubernatorial campaign train to the ancient town of Oyo, second time within the last two weeks.
Eye witness accounts revealed that the gory scene disrupted free flow of traffic in the area for almost one hour, particularly when other road users who sighted them reportedly took to their heels rather than rendering first aid on realising that those involved in the auto crash were PDP members. Onlookers reportedly resorted to shouting ‘’they are PDP people o! Don’t let them spill your own blood too o’’.
Our sources said that the deceased gave up the ghost immediately as the bus conveying them to the campaign venue lost control at the Odo-Eran/Union Bank area of Owode in the ancient town, apparently due to overspeeding. It was gathered that the bus with registration number XL 401 ABJ, which was said to be traveling at neck breaking speed, suddenly rammed into a pitch at the Odo-Eran//Union Bank area of Owode, which forced the driver to lose control.
When the embattled driver could not regain control of the vehicle, it crashed into the ditch and six people among the commuters gave up the ghost instantly, leaving others trapped and groaning for help which did not come for almost an hour. It was gathered that the injured people were left unattended to until security operatives from the state command of the Nigeria Police attached to the Oyo Police Division arrived the scene and rushed those injured into the nearby Peamark Hospital for treatment. The corpses of the six deceased PDP members were reportedly rejected by the hospital’s authorities and the police later moved them to the General Hospital located at Owode/Ogbomoso area of the town.
Reacting to the auto crash, Oyo State Governor, Otunba Alao-Akala disowned the victims as members of his campaign team. The governor explained that since the location was one of the busiest highways in Nigeria where accidents occur all the time, the victims could not necessarily be on their way to his own campaign.
A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Communication, Prince Dotun Oyelade read in part: “This is one of the busiest highways in Nigeria where accidents occur all the time. The bus with Abuja plate number and on transit from the Federal Capital has nothing to do with our campaign in Oyo today. Governor Akala, however, commiserate with the victims.
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