By Omowumi Omotosho
A magistrate court sitting in Ilorin, the capital city of Kwara state on Thursday, granted bail to Tajudeen Sulu-Oloje, a prominent PDP chieftain, after a series of legal proceedings.
Sulu-Oloje was the former chairman of Ilorin West Local Government Area and a leader of the PDP in the state.
His arrest followed a politically charged altercation during the recently concluded local government elections. The clash, which involved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Oloje ward of Ilorin, initially led to Sulu-Oloje being charged and granted bail.
However, last week, the case took a new direction when Sulu-Oloje was brought before the court again. The magistrate’s court ruled that it had no jurisdiction over the case, leading to his remand at the federal correctional facility in Madala. This move sparked outrage within the PDP, with party members in Kwara accusing the government of using legal tactics to silence opposition voices in the state.
The courtroom, on Thursday, was filled to capacity by family, friends, party members and well-wishers who turned in large numbers in solidarity with the grassroots politician.
The bail decision was seen as a significant victory for Sulu-Oloje and his supporters, who have maintained that the charges against him were politically motivated.
