By G9ija
Hoodlums on Thursday attacked the campaign convoy of the PDP governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr Jimi Agbaje at Iba in Ojo, west of Lagos.
A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) political correspondent reports that the convoy had just left the palace of the Oniba of Iba, Oba Goriola Oseni, when it came under attack.
The PDP governorship hopeful had gone to the monarch to inform him of his plan to hold his campaign rally in the area later in the day before the incident.
As the convoy was driving out, about 40 hoodlums stoned Agbaje’s vehicles.
Some of the hoodlums, clutching daggers and machetes, rode on motorcycles to keep pace with the convoy, throwing pebbles continuously at the convoy.
The rear windscreen of a bus conveying some party members was shattered.
Some occupants of the bus sustained minor injuries caused by the shattered glass.
The hoodlums continued to advance towards the convoy for further attacks, before security details in the convoy engaged them, firing tear gas at them.
They later beat a hurried retreat when the convoy managed to escape.
However, Agbaje and people in other vehicles did not sustain injuries.
Speaking earlier at the Oniba’s palace, Agbaje said he did not believe that politics should be a do-or-die affair.
The governorship hopeful said that he had always been an advocate of peaceful politics because he believed that power should not be sought through violence.
He said it was in demonstration of that belief that he came down from his vehicle to greet some APC members when he sighted them on his way to the palace.
“I don’t believe in do-or-die politics. I have always believed in peaceful politics and that is what I practice.
“Why should people kill themselves because of politics? It should not be, politics should be a platform to serve and not to cause destruction.
“On my way to the palace today, I saw some APC supporters in their party vests and I came down from the vehicle to greet them.
“They looked at my face in disbelief at first. We later embraced each another and exchanged friendly words. That should be the spirit.”
Agbaje told the monarch that he was in the palace to pay homage and seek the royal father’s blessing for his planned rally in the area as that was the right thing to do.
He sought the prayers and blessings of the monarch on his ambition to govern Lagos.
Oseni said that he was glad to receive Agbaje and his supporters to his palace, noting that as a traditional ruler, he was father to all and was expected to be politically neutral.
The monarch said that it was in that light that he would always welcome everybody to his palace, irrespective of their political affiliations.
He warned against do-or-die politics because according to him, it threatens peace and democracy.
The monarch said that those who practiced do-or-die politics did not understand the real meaning of politics.
“Politics should not be about violence. That is why I always preach and warn against it.
“Those who perpetrate violence in the name of politics do not understand the essence of politics because politics is about service and not killings.
“As a traditional ruler, I am father to all politicians and I will welcome everybody. So I welcome you to the palace and I wish you all the best.”
Oseni, however, advised parents to warn their wards to abstain from violence before, during and after the elections in their own interest.
He urged youths not to allow politicians to destroy their lives by asking them to take to violence.