WITH the Ondo State governorship election just days away, a violent clash has left seven People’s Democratic Party members ‘seriously’ injured, following an attack by some political thugs.
In a press briefing on Thursday, November 14, chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) 2024 Governorship Campaign Council Eddy Olafeso, detailed the incident, claiming that the gang was allegedly led by All Progressives Congress (APC) thug known as Oyewole Aderemi, also referred to as “Gulder.”
According to Olafeso, chairman of the Ondo PDP 2024 Governorship Campaign Council, the assault occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, November 13, in Idanre Local Government Area.
Olafeso described the incident as a premeditated assault involving firearms and machetes, noting that one of the victims of the attack, Olowoniyi Akinlemimu remains in critical condition, and the other six victims are also hospitalised.
Olafeso condemned the violence and criticized the lack of arrests following the incident, noting that some of the alleged attackers attended the APC’s grand rally in Akure with high-profile attendees, including APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
“In the early hours of Wednesday, November 13, 2024, a very well-known APC thug in Idanre Local Government, by the name Oyewole Aderemi (aka Gulder) led a group of thugs to attack PDP supporters, with guns and machete unprovoked. Seven persons were seriously wounded, especially Otunba Olowoniyi Akinlemimu who is still on admission at the Intensive Care Unit of the State Specialists Hospital, Akure. Others are still receiving treatment after extracting bullets from their bodies.
“Up till this moment, no arrests have been made and the assailants were given VIP treatment at the APC Grand Finale rally in which the National Chairman of APC, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje and Vice President, Kashim Shettima were in attendance,” the chairman said.
Meanwhile, in response to the attack, the Ondo State Police Command, while confirming the incident as the ‘Idanre Rivalry Incident,’ stated that the state Commissioner of Police, Abayomi Peter Oladipo, has directed the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID) to lead a full-scale inquiry into the matter
The command also vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
According to the statement, made on Wednesday, Oladipo had earlier convened a peace meeting on November 12, urging leaders of both major parties to discourage violence and uphold peaceful election protocols.
The commissioner further reassured Ondo residents of the police’s commitment to safeguarding the election’s integrity.
All efforts to reach the APC spokesperson and the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, regarding the alleged attacks proved abortive, as the CPS requested that questions be sent to him via WhatsApp. There has been no response as of the time of filing this report.
The ICIR reported that data from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) showed 2,053,061 people registered to vote in the Ondo gubernatorial poll, including 58,708 new voters added during the ongoing voter registration drive.
According to INEC, a total of 18 political parties have put candidates forward for the election.
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and incumbent governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, will be slugging it out with other notable candidates in the race for the highest seat in the Sunshine State.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M