By Akinwale Kasali
Akinyemi Bankole Ajigbotafe, Lagos State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, was matcheted at the Lagos All Progressives Congress, APC, House of Representatives Primaries held on Monday by suspected political thugs.
Ajigbotafe, popular as AB Ajigbotafe in the Lagos State Political circle was reportedly left in critical condition after he was wickedly macheted.
He was reportedly rushed to the hospital, and is presently hospitalised at the undisclosed hospital.
It was gathered that violence erupted in Alimosho Local Government Area where the Commissioner had gone for a meeting of APC Stakeholders, convened to resolve disagreements arising from the Party’s House of Representatives Primary Election in Lagos West when he was attacked.
According to sources, violence stemmed from lingering tensions generated during Saturday’s House of Representatives primaries involving supporters of former Mosan-Okunola LCDA Chairman, Olabisi Adebajo, popularly known as ABISCO, and incumbent lawmaker, Ganiyu Ayuba.
Yhe meeting held last week in Alimosho LG where consensus candidates were endorsed for elective positions did not augur well with some aspirants who disagreed with the consensus endorsement.
This led to crisis during the Primaries, as armed thugs allegedly stormed the venue wielding guns and dangerous weapons, triggering panic and sporadic gunshots.
Eyewitness account stated that Ajigbotafe had, allegedly, aligned with one of the rival political camps, a development believed to have intensified hostilities ahead of Monday’s reconciliation meeting.
The reconciliation meeting later degenerated into violence after suspected loyalists of an influential political figure allegedly descended on the Commissioner with machetes in what witnesses described as an assassination attempt.
“The assassination attempt on the Honourable Commissioner was unsuccessful; however, he sustained serious injuries, his vehicle was damaged and security personnel were severely wounded,” a party member who pleaded anonymity stated.
It was gathered that the attack on the Commissioner was severe, as he was said to have lost a lot of blood and had undergone multiple blood transfusions as doctors battled to stabilise him.
The development has left the APC Alimosho LG in turmoil, putting into consideration the fact that Alimosho remain the most populous LG in Lagos State and also a political stronghold for the APC in the State.
The attack has sparked outrage among Party members and stakeholders, many of whom condemned the growing wave of violence, intimidation and hooliganism within the Party’s local structures.
In a strongly worded statement addressed to APC leaders in Alimosho, a concerned party member and Certified Protection Officer, Debo Awosheye, described the attack as dangerous and disgraceful.
“These incidents are unacceptable and capable of damaging the unity, reputation, and democratic values of our party.
“No political ambition or disagreement should ever justify violence, intimidation, harassment, or threats against party members”,
Awosheye stated.
He warned the APC leadership that if urgent steps were not taken, the crisis could spiral further and damage the APC’s reputation ahead of future elections.
In the same vein, another APC member who pleaded anonymity described the incident as “barbaric” and called for urgent intervention by party leaders.
“How can you fight a sitting Commissioner publicly and injure him to the point of blood flow? This is not acceptable,” he stated.
Though, the APC Primaries has been marred with violence, disqualification and irregularities, this has further renewed concerns over increasing political violence within party Primaries in Lagos, with many members demanding investigations and prosecution of those responsible for the attack.
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