Oyo State Police Command has vowed to investigate the coordinated attack launched by yet to be identified hoodlums on the New Bodija, Ibadan residence of the former Deputy Governor of Oyo State and a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Barr. Hazeem Gbolarumi on Saturday.

Though, the attack occurred shortly before the congress of the Nyesom Wike’s faction of the PDP believed to be the same the former Deputy Governor belongs to on Saturday, the Police insisted that the attack had nothing to do with the factional congress.

The umbrella party, which governs Oyo State has been in deep crisis with Wike, the FCT Minister and Engr. Seyi Makinde both battling for the soul of the party. Considering the legal quagmire the party has sunk into, any party member willing to fly the party’s flag in the 2027 general elections naturally sees Wike’s platform as the likely most legally favourable platform.

It would be recalled that the former Deputy Governor had late last year made his intention to contest the 2027 gubernatorial election in the state using the party’s banner known, a decision that might have pitched him against the incumbent government should he be romancing Wike’s faction because of his ambition.

In a statement by the spokesperson of the Oyo State Police Command, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade through which the ugly incident at Gbolarumi’s residence was confirmed, he said the incident was not connected to the congress held in the state on Saturday.

According to the statement, “a group of yet-to-be-identified hoodlums attacked the residence of the former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Hazeem Gbolarumi. The coordinated attack has nothing to do with the state congress. The command had commenced an investigation into the incident and assured that those responsible would be apprehended and prosecuted”.

The attack led to the destruction of vehicles and other valuables worth millions of naira at the residence, where the former deputy governor had hosted members of the faction ahead of the party’s congress when suspected political thugs invaded the area.

However, Prof. Abdulrahman Akinoso, the chairman of the PDP faction backed by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike alleged that similar attacks were recorded in other parts of Oyo State, stating that “the incidents occurred in Ibadan North, Ogbomoso South, Akinyele, and Ibarapa Central Local Governments in which no fewer than 10 persons sustained injuries during the violence”.

He further alleged that three vehicles were vandalised at Gbolarumi’s Bodija residence where members of the faction had gathered for the congress.

In the meantime, stakeholders of the PDP in Ogbomoso have rejected what they described as attempts by some individuals to organize a congress and inaugurate factional executives in the area, saying, “we are aware of alleged plans by certain individuals to conduct unauthorized congresses aimed at installing factional party executives”.

While warning that any move to constitute a parallel executive would not be recognized, they insisted that the PDP structure in the state remained united under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde, urging party members to remain calm and resist attempts to create division within the party.