14th March, 2011
Security men took over the main bowl of Mapo Hall, Ibadan, Oyo State, Southwest Nigeria, venue of today’s rally by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), the presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC.
Buhari and his running mate, Pastor Tunde Bakare had booked the venue to flag off the party’s Southwest presidential campaign today.
The former military leader was barred by the Oyo State Governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala from using the main bowl of the hall which CPC had paid for.
Akala barred Buhari, claiming security reasons, since Mrs. Patience Goodluck Jonathan, wife of the president will be using the Mapo Town Hall main bowl tomorrow.
Security operatives including officials of the Nigerian Police and the State Security Service, SSS, took over the main bowl of Mapo Hall.
Carpenters and other artisans were busy working on the podium inside the main bowl of the hall for the PDP rally holding at the venue tomorrow.
However, a rostrum has been constructed for the CPC presidential rally at Oja Oba, Ibadan in front of Mapo Hall while all the entrance to the hall have been shut.
When P.M.NEWS visited the venue this morning, CPC supporters had started trooping to Oja Oba. Security was beefed up to forestall any break down of law and order.
Investigations revealed that most of the security men on ground were sent by Buhari. Everybody was properly screened by the security operatives.
At the presidential rally, Buhari is expected to present the Oyo State governorship candidate of the party, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, to the people.
But for the insistence of the CPC to hold the rally on schedule, it would have been aborted.
The Oyo State government had earlier called on the CPC to postpone the rally but the party declined.
There has been apprehension everywhere around Mapo. People believe there could be a clash between supporters of the CPC and those of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
The situation was still tense at the time of filing this report.
