Nigeria Content Online

The inaugural
launch of Ibrahim Babangida political rally in Ogun State started on a
wrong footing yesterday, as the National Association of Nigerians
Students disrupted the rally organised by the state chapter of the
campaign team.

The campaigners had
converged at their newly acquired secretariat at Oke-Ilewo area of
Abeokuta at about 2pm, all in T-Shirts emblazoned with Mr Babangida’s
photo and banners, accompanied by drummers and trumpeters for the rally.

The campaigners,
led by the state coordinator, Sunday Bello had set out for the rally
round the town to promote their presidential candidate when hundreds of
students, under the aegis of Joint Campus Committee, stormed the place
in five buses.

The students did
not waste time in dislodging the campaigners, who were seen running
helter-skelter for safety. In their escape bid, a number of placards
and handbills promoting Mr Babangida’s candidacy were abandoned by his
supporters.

As they run pell mell, pursued by the students, the campaigners hurriedly removed their T-shirts in a bid to escape detection.

The students’
actions were, however, not limited to just chasing Mr Babangida’s
supporters away. The campaign office was temporarily seized, while the
canopies erected were pulled down. The entire vicinity recorded traffic
jam as the exercise lasted.

Residents back students

Many residents of
the area, as well as a number of motorists and passersby who witnessed
the incident, applauded the action of the students, saying the
campaigners deserved the treatment meted out to them.

A taxi driver,
identified as Lukmon, said: “I like these students. They are bold and
courageous to have taken that bold action. For God’s sake, these
campaigners are stupid set of people and foolishly bold to attempt to
launch Babangida’s campaign in Abeokuta.” Speaking to newsmen after the
incident, Chairman of the Ogun State Chapter of Joint Campus Committee
of Nigeria Association Nigeria Students, Azeez Adeyemi, said it was an
insult to the indigenes of the state for the campaign team to embark on
a citywide rally.

He said Mr
Babangida’s antecedents in the country, with reference to the annulment
of June 12 Presidential elections, still leaves a bitter taste in the
mouth.

“It is unthinkable that the former military ruler should be allowed to return to power as being planned,” Mr Adeyemi said.