APC campaign crash in Osun leaves one person dead and seven injured after a truck hit campaign supporters in Ede ahead of the governorship election
A supporter of the All Progressives Congress, AbdulRasaq Ahmed, was killed and seven others injured on Wednesday after a truck reportedly rammed into a campaign procession organised in support of the party’s governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, in Ede, Osun State.
The tragic APC Campaign Crash in Osun occurred in the Oke Gada area of Ede as party members and supporters participated in a street mobilisation exercise ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The incident has sparked calls for a thorough investigation, with party officials and witnesses seeking answers over the circumstances that led to the fatal collision.
Chairman of the Media and Publicity Committee of the Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji Campaign Committee, Remi Omowaiye, confirmed the casualty figures, stating that one person lost his life while seven others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
According to Omowaiye, the injured victims were taken to private hospitals in Ede and Ofatedo for medical treatment.
“One person was killed in the accident. Seven others were injured, but one out of the seven was critically injured,” he said.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic and confusion as the truck entered the lane occupied by campaign participants.
One witness, who requested anonymity, alleged that officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps had earlier put traffic management measures in place to separate vehicles from the procession.
“It was a sad incident and one which could have been avoided,” the eyewitness said.
“The coordinator of the Federal Road Safety Corps had earlier directed that vehicles should use one lane of the road while APC members used the other lane.
“However, the truck driver drove through the lane we were walking on and rammed into the crowd. The boy was killed in the process, while many got injured and are receiving treatment at the hospital.”
The APC Campaign Crash in Osun has heightened political tensions in the state as parties intensify activities ahead of the governorship poll.
Following a condolence visit to the family of the deceased, the running mate to APC governorship candidate Bola Oyebamiji, Benjamin Adereti, demanded a comprehensive investigation by security agencies.
Adereti said authorities should determine both the immediate and underlying causes of the incident.
“We are still trying to unravel the reason behind this. The way the incident happened looked like the truck deliberately rammed into our party members in Ede while campaigning,” he said.
“I want to call on the security agencies in Osun and Nigeria to carry out a thorough investigation into the immediate and remote causes of this incident.”
Adereti also alleged that the incident may have been politically motivated, although no evidence has yet been presented publicly to support the claim.
“If this is a deliberate action by Ademola Adeleke and the Accord Party to stop us from forging ahead with our campaign, I can assure them we are unstoppable,” he added.
The APC chieftain extended condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for comfort during the difficult period.
“I commiserate with the family of AbdulRasaq Ahmed over this unfortunate incident. May God console the family. We all know the pain of losing a child,” he said.
As of Wednesday evening, authorities had not released an official statement detailing the cause of the crash or whether the truck driver had been taken into custody.
The incident comes as political parties across Osun State continue campaign activities ahead of the highly anticipated governorship election, with stakeholders urging supporters to remain peaceful and allow investigators to determine the facts surrounding the tragedy.
Meanwhile, residents and party supporters have continued to mourn Ahmed, whose death has cast a shadow over the APC campaign in Ede and renewed concerns about safety during political mobilisation events.
Victory Emmanuel is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
