Ogun politician alleges threat to life over House of Assembly ambition

In a move to ensure the safety of her husband, wife of a grassroots political gladiator in Ogun State, Moyosore, has raised alarm over the safety of her family members and husband, Azeez Babatunde Olanbiwonninu against the backdrop of incessant attacks and threats mounted on her household by her husband’s alleged political opponents over his aspiration to contest for a House of Assembly seat in the forthcoming Ogun State House of Assembly election.

In an emotion laden statement, the visibly worried mother of two revealed to our correspondent that despite the fact that her husband had left the country, for Canada, his detractors has not relented in their mission to eliminate him.

However, her husband in a whatsapp video call with our correspondent, confirmed the incident saying that he decided to relocate to the North American country when it was obvious that his life was no longer safe as hired assassins were on his trail on a daily basis in his home country.

According to Olabiwonninu, who is the former President of National Association of Ogun State Students, Kwara State Polytechnic Chapter, “I have been a loyal and committed party member since 1998 and was instrumental to the emergence of virtually all our elected representatives such as Hon Leye Odunjo, Hon Olusola Opajobi, Hon Isiaka Bello to mention a few and it was by popular demand that my constituents picked me to represent them.

“However, trouble started when I indicated my interest to run for the position of a member, Ogun State House of Assembly to represent Ota state Constituency, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area on the platform of the PDP.

“All of a sudden, I began to receive series of threat messages on my phone from unknown persons, warning me to either bury my political aspiration or, otherwise my life would be buried.”

The father of two told our correspondent that he reported the matter first to his lawyer who advised that he should pipe low and suspend his political ambition until the coast is clear.

He also said his lawyer gave the advice that he should not be in a hurry to report the matter to the police since the police will not provide security considering the present security challenges in the country, saying it would be better to restrain his political activities for the time being.

Continuing, the distraught graduate of Public Administration said it was at this point that the idea of relocating his family to a safer environment occurred to him.

‘’I recalled that in 2017, when the persistent threats to my life was at its peak, the period coincided with rampant cases of assassination attempts claiming the life of one of my political associates and mentor, Late Hon. Gideon Aremu, who was murdered on July 1, 2017.

He was until his death a member of Oyo State House of Assembly representing Orelope State Constituency Area of the state. He was said to have received several death threats to his life prior to the sad incident even as earlier reports to the police yielded no result.

“It is on record that despite the price tag of N5m placed by the governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi on anyone who can provide useful information that would lead to the arrest of the killers, not a single person had been so far arrested till date.

He said further that, “caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, I then summoned courage to go on vacation, a move which was supported by my wife and my lawyer and so on June 21, 2018, I left Nigeria for Canada.

“My intention initially was to stay away briefly, obviously, for cover against the constant harassment and threats to my life and return to the country afterwards, but unknown to me, a bigger problem awaits me and members of my family at home.”

According to Olanbiwonninu, barely few days after he arrived Canada, on June 26, 2018, he got a shocker from his wife in a video call on whatsapp.

His words; “She broke down weeping profusely while narrating her ordeal in the hands of masked hoodlums, six in number, who entered my bedroom breaking through the fence. They ransacked everywhere and turned my bedroom upside down searching for me like needle in a haystack.

“Traumatised and terrified, my wife could not hold back tears when she heard one of the strange visitors saying that they were on a mission to fish me out dead or alive except I publicly denounce my intention to contest in the 2019 elections within a week or risk another attack on my family,” he said.