A clash between supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) and the opposition Social Democratic Party in Itaji-Ekiti, Oye Council Area of Ekiti State has led to the death of one person.
A member of the APC, Tope Ajayi, lost his life while many others were injured in the fracas that occurred on Saturday, June 11 during a campaign ahead of next Saturday’s governorship poll.
The Nation reported that those who sustained injuries during the fracas are being treated at the Intensive Care Unit of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti.
Ekiti State Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu confirmed the incident. He said:
“Yes, there was a clash at Itaji between (opposing) party members. Investigation to unravel what transpired and the number of casualties, as well as the possible arrest of culprits, have commenced.”
Abutu said the police, had, however, quelled the bedlam and restored normalcy to the town.
“But on the killing of a person, we are yet to get that confirmation. As soon as that is done, I will update the press”, he said.
Narrating APC’s account of what happened, Director, Media and Publicity, Biodun Oyebanji Campaign Organisation, Chief Taiwo Olatunbosun said that party’s campaign in Ekiti North senatorial district was orderly and peaceful earlier until it was allegedly disrupted by hoodlums on the instruction of a former House of Representatives member.
He alleged that those affected were shot by the SDP thugs who swooped on a faulty campaign vehicle branded with the APC candidate, Biodun Oyebanji’s posters between Itaji Ekiti.
According to him, the hoodlums, apart from shooting the dead member in the chest, also allegedly rained bullets on a vehicle belonging to the Special Adviser on Road Infrastructures to the Governor, Hon Rufus Adunmo.
Olatunbosun said:
“It is tragic that within one week of Daramola decamping to the SDP, we have recorded a spate of violence including an attack on our campaign rally at Oke Ayedun on Friday, and now the brutal killing of our member today, and the maiming of many others who are now battling for their lives in the hospital.”
Countering Olatunbosun’s claim, the Director of Media and Publicity, Segun Oni Campaign Organisation, Jackson Adebayo said: “We were at the palace at Itaji Ekiti where Asiwaju Segun Oni was meeting with obas in the local government area. Some people were outside the palace, suddenly we saw about five buses loaded with transporters who are being used as political thugs associated with Governor Fayemi and the APC.
“They started shooting sporadically. we initially thought they were shooting to scare us away, people were running helter-skelter without knowing that they really targeted our members to kill.
“They were also trying to force their way to where Engineer Segun oni was may be in an attempt to assassinate him. That was when they were repelled by security agencies who came to the rescue and repelled them.
“But unfortunately, one of the thugs missed their vehicle because he fell down. We interrogated him and he said they were agents of APC. They left, we learnt one of them died later, but I would not know how.”
