Makinde cancels birthday celebration to mourn Ibadan stampede victims
By Jeffrey Agbo
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has cancelled his December 25 birthday celebration in honor of the victims of Wednesday’s tragic stampede in Ibadan, which claimed the lives of 35 minors.
Speaking on Friday while receiving a condolence visit from a delegation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the southeast, led by Adolphus Wabara, a former Senate president and PDP Board of Trustees chairman, Makinde described the incident as “painful, unfortunate and preventable.”
“I will not go out, no birthday celebration this year,” Makinde said, expressing his grief over the tragedy at a funfair organized for children at the Islamic High School in the Basorun area of Ibadan.
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The southeast PDP delegation conveyed their sympathies to the people of Oyo State, with Wabara noting, “We, the people of the southeast, feel the pain of the sudden death of the 35 children.
“We pray God to grant you and the people of the state, particularly the parents of the victims, the fortitude to bear the loss.”
Other members of the delegation included Sam Egwu, former governor of Ebonyi; Ben Obi, former PDP national secretary; Josephine Anenih, PDP BoT member; and Onyema Nwele, Ebonyi PDP chairman.