Nigeria Content Online

The membership
registration exercise of the Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN) in Oyo
State, at the weekend suffered a slight setback as hoodlums believed to
be loyal to a governorship aspirant within the party attempted to
hijack the registration materials.

Although no one died in the ensuing scuffle, many party members suffered injuries.

The police have arrested four men suspected to be behind the act.

The incident
happened at Oyo North and Oyo Central Senatorial Districts where the
hoodlums, wielding machetes and other dangerous weapons, stormed the
venue of the registration and attempted to snatch and make away with
the registration materials being distributed by the officials ahead of
the commencement of the exercise.

The incident led to the suspension of the registration of members in Afijio and other parts of Oke-Ogun area of the state.

One of the
governorship aspirants, Abiola Ajimobi said he and members of his group
boycotted the exercise because of the attempt by some people to hijack
the materials.

Minor skirmishes

The leader of the
party in the state and a former governor, Lam Adesina said the exercise
was successful, and the party will give another opportunity to the
group that boycotted it to participate. He said that only the
electorate will chose all political office holders in the next election.

Similar situation
played out at Ward 9 of the Ibadan South local government of the state,
where about 25 cutlass-wielding hoodlums reportedly swooped on the
registering members to cart away the materials, but the people
confronted their attackers.

Despite the success
of the exercise in many parts of the state, the hitches in some part
have created bad-blood among the contestants, who are, however,
unanimous in the belief that nothing will be allowed to affect the
fortune of the party in 2011.

Femi Lanlehin,
Kazeem Adedeji, Wale Oyemakinde, Soji Akanbi and other aspirants
explained that such “minor skirmishes” can not be ruled out in a place
where nine aspirants are vying for a single seat.

Mr. Adesina assured
members that the culture of internal democracy currently imbibed by the
party will give them victory over the ruling Peoples Democratic Party
in the state in the next election.