Ondo APC Ward Congress Turns Bloody

By Ayodele Oni

Violence and protests on Wednesday marred the Ward Congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, with eyewitnesses reporting that not less than three persons have been hospitalized for sustaining serious injuries in Idanre Local Government Area.

According to eyewitness accounts, the victims were allegedly attacked as supporters of rival two leaders from the area tried to install their supporters as ward executives.

This is coming a day after the state chairman of the party, Ade Adetimehin and other elders were attacked at the Secretariat during a Stakeholders’ meeting.

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has explained that he has no hand in the attack but declared the meeting illegal.

Election in most of the wards in the local government was characterised by violence and shooting by suspected political thugs.

It was gathered that the crisis started when  two political leaders in the area insisted in electing their loyalists to gain control of wards executives.

APC chairman in the state is from the local government.

Weapons were reportedly freely used by party supporters leaving many with injuries while some of the victims sustained life-threatening wounds.

Speaking on the incident during a radio programme in Akure, the spokesperson for the Police Command in the state, Abayomi Jimoh said operatives have been deployed to the area.

“Right now the Commissioner of Police is on ground and the situation is now under control,” he said.

One of the APC chieftains in Idanre described the attack as “serious and frightening.”

In Akure South Local Government Area, the exercise was disrupted by protests and rising tension among party members, who rejected the alleged imposition of Mr. Femi Fadairo as the Returning Officer.

Aggrieved members insisted that Fadairo, an aspirant to the House of Representatives, was previously suspended from Ward 8 over allegations of gross misconduct and violent activities, making his appointment unacceptable to many stakeholders.

Sources also alleged that Fadairo, replaced the list of delegates originally submitted by Akure South leaders with his own, sparking outrage and protests among party members, who described the move as an attempt to manipulate the process.

Eyewitnesses further hinted at the ward Congress was holding amidst unrest in other local government areas of the state.

The ward congress, being held across the 203 wards in the 18 local government areas of the state, is a key process for electing party officials at the grassroots level.

The ward Congress is however not holding in Ekiti state following unresolved crisis which is trailing the governorship primary election since last year.