POLITICAL VICTIMIZATION OF POLITICAL OPPONENTS IN NIGERIA: A CASE STUDY OF SARAFA OLALEKAN OLASENI ALEBIOSU
Political victimization of political opponents in Nigeria is not new and not seemingly peculiar to one political party especially the political party in power or reigning but the trend seems to be on the rise since the assumption of office by All Progress Congress (APC) at the Federal, State and Local Government levels.
APC defeated the then incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples’ Democratic Power (PDP) and came to power in 2015 with late Muhammed Buhari as the President. But the culmination to ascending the throne wore series of togas to the extent of accusing GEJ of clueless and incompetent. What followed the dethronement of PDP that in itself arrogant at success by claiming to be the largest political party in Africa and that they will rule Nigeria for the next 60 years even though they reigned for just 16 years were too much to ignore.
Political victimization of opposition members since the All Progressives Congress (APC) took power at the federal level in 2015 is widely reported by civil society groups. Tactics include the partisan use of anti-corruption agencies, state-sponsored violence during elections, and the judicial weaponization of party leadership disputes to weaken opposition platforms. Mr. Sarafa Olalekan Olaseni Alebiosu is a good Case Study of this trend in the annal of our political trajectory.
Mr. Sarafa Olalekan Olaseni Alebiosu is a professional printer in Somolu, the heartbeat and headquarters of Printing and publishing in west Africa. He lived at No. 9, ibiyemi street, somolu, lagos state. He is a staunch member of the Labour Party (LP) from Ward C, Shomolu. His political activities and contributions to the progressive rise and wider acceptability of LP made him target of the ruling party; APC.
He became the hard target because of the election held on 25th February, 2023 due to his canvassing capacity, winning would-be voters before the election day and advancing reasonable debate and presenting alternative credible.
The climax of his suffering life threatening happened on October 17, 2023 when about five unidentified men in hoods accosted him in his residence and trying to kidnap him away. And when they were unable to take him away because of the alarm he raised and residents’ rapid response, they attempted to kill him but luck shone on him and he survived the terror attacks.
