The Youth Stakeholders of Agbokojo have rejected claims allegedly made by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli regarding the recent crisis in the community, insisting that the incident was a communal dispute and should not be turned into a political controversy.
In a statement signed by the Youth Leader, Comrade Kabiru Ishola, and made available to journalists, the youths described the political interpretation of the incident as misleading, stressing that the clash involved two groups within the community and had no connection with party politics.
According to the youths, it was unfortunate that an incident requiring calm, dialogue and reconciliation was being presented through a political lens.
“You are far from the truth. What happened in Agbokojo was a communal clash between two groups. It has nothing to do with politics. We are surprised that the APC and Senator Sarafa Alli would turn every issue in Oyo State into a political matter,” the statement read.
The youth stakeholders completely dismissed the statement attributed to the APC and Senator Alli, accusing them of presenting what they described as a false narrative and attempting to score political points from an unfortunate community incident.
Comrade Ishola also claimed that the victim came from a family with affiliations to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), noting that the victim's mother and brother were card-carrying members of the party. He questioned why the incident was being portrayed differently from what the youths said actually happened.
Taking a swipe at the APC, the youth leader invoked the popular Yoruba saying, “Àgbà kì í wà l'ọjà kí orí ọmọ tuntun wọ́,” emphasizing the need for elders and political leaders to demonstrate responsibility and avoid statements that could mislead the public.
He further criticised the party over what he described as attempts to influence public opinion through financial inducements, arguing that the community's peace and unity should take precedence over political interests.
“We, the youths of Agbokojo, are apolitical when it comes to issues concerning the peace and development of our community. We will stand firmly for our people, and no amount of inducement will make us abandon reason or act irrationally,” Ishola declared.
He urged the APC and other political actors to refrain from spreading narratives that could deepen tensions, insisting that Agbokojo needs peace, understanding and genuine reconciliation rather than political propaganda.
The youth leader also appealed to security agencies and the Oyo State Government to concentrate on addressing the underlying causes of the conflict and facilitating lasting peace between the warring groups, rather than allowing political disagreements to distract from the situation on the ground.
Comrade Ishola commended the prompt intervention of the Ibadan South-West Local Government and security operatives, which he said had helped restore normalcy to the affected area.
He called on residents to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information and cooperate with relevant authorities to ensure that peace is sustained.
The youths maintained that the priority should be to prevent further violence, rebuild trust among residents and restore lasting harmony in Agbokojo, stressing that the community's welfare must remain above partisan political interests.
0 Comments