No fewer than 20 people were injured yesterday when members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) clashed in a free-for-all at Ibadan Airport, while awaiting the arrival of President Goodluck Jonathan.

President Jonathan was billed to attend the church service to mark the centenary birthday celebration of Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana.

An eye witness said trouble started around 9:30am when members of the APC in Oyo State arrived at the airport to welcome the president with songs, but the PDP members asked them to go back before they started pelting stones at each other.

“I was there when they started fighting with stones and sticks. The PDP members asked the APC members to leave the airport premises but they did not answer them; instead, they started singing abusive songs; that was when they both exchanged blows and started injuring one another.

“Over 22 of them were injured and have been taken to the hospital,” he said.

Another eye witness, Mr Basiru Ayinla, noted that it was the PDP members belonging to the group of the Osun State gubernatorial candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore that first unleashed their weapons on the APC members.

“The APC members were chanting Governor Ajimobi’s praise at the airport and were also sweeping the floor with their brooms; so, this got the PDP members angry and they confronted them before things went out of hand and this led to the fight between them,” he said.

It was gathered that if not for the quick intervention of the state joint security patrol team, ‘Operation Burst’ and other security agencies on ground at the airport, the clash would have escalated more.

But when contacted, the police public relations officer (PPRO), SP Olabisi Ilobanafor, said she was not aware of such incident, adding that the police did not receive any such report.