APRIL POLLS: Violence mars campaigns in Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun •As PDP, ACN, LP supporters’ clash, 7 dead

Posted by admin Action Congress of Nigeria, Ekiti, Labour Party (LP), Ogun, Ondo, Party Politics, Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP), State News Thursday, March 24th, 2011

THE nation’s hitherto over-heated political atmosphere, on Wednesday, practically gave way to chaos, as violent clashes

among supporters of political parties led to the death of some people, leaving many injured, less than nine days to the general election.

At least three people were shot in Obanla area of Ondo State with four people reportedly injured on Iro Street, in a clash between supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling Labour Party (LP), on Wednesday, during their campaigns.

In Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, two supporters of the PDP identified as Ayo Kehinde Faluyi and Michael Ipindola were killed, allegedly by assailants who dressed in police uniform, during a skirmish between supporters of the PDP and the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

The clash in Ado-Ekiti caused pandemonium as the corpse of one of the casualties, Ayo Michael Faluyi, was dropped at the Governor’s Office by protesting members of the PDP in the state.

Also, no fewer than two people were feared dead on Wednesday in a clash between supporters of the governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Ogun State, Reverend Jide Awosedo and commercial motorcyclists, popularly called okada riders, in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State.

National dailies had reported the killing of eight people and wounding of many others in a face-off between loyalists of the PDP and ACN in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Tuesday.

The candidate of the PDP for the Akure South/Akure North Federal constituency, Adedayo Omolafe, had to call off his campaign slated for Akure, to avoid further escalation of the crisis.

It took the intervention of the police to quell the crisis in Obanla, while one person was arrested in connection with the violent clashes.

The PDP, through its Ondo State publicity secretary, Chief Adeyemi Ade-dipe, alleged that the Iro incident happened when supporters of the party gathered to campaign for Omolafe.

However, speaking with newsmen on the Obanla incident, an eyewitness, Dr Dare Bada, said it was between members of the LP who were campaigning along the street.

Although, he said there was no fracas during the campaigns, he added that some thugs stormed the place and were shooting sporadically into the air and it was in the process that two members of the party were shot while stray bullets hit others.

But the publicity secretary of LP, Mr Femi Okunjemiruwa, said members of the party were in Irele campaigning and was not abreast of the crisis in the state capital.

Confirming the development, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Adeniran Aremu, said the police moved into the crisis in Iro and brought it under control immediately the incident was reported.

However, in Ekiti, the protesting PDP members said they were shot at by men in police uniform while they were gathering at Omuo garage, preparatory to their movement to Gboyin for a scheduled campaign rally in the town organised by the party’s candidate for Ekiti South constituency II, Mr Olufemi Bamisile.

The protesters, who chanted war songs, said they had brought the body to show the state governor and register their grievance over what they said was unprovoked attack suffered by members of the PDP in parts of the state.

They also claimed that Bamisile’s driver, whose name was given as Femi Bankole, was also shot and, according to them, was now on danger list at an undisclosed hospital at Omuo.

Chairman of the PDP in the state, Chief Bola Olu-Ojo, led the protesters, who the commander of the Police Mobile Force in the state, Mr Samuel-Etaifo Erale, tried to calm.

They left the body where it was deposited at the gate of the Governor’s Office, while it was removed by workers there at about 20 minutes after the protesters had left.

Addressing newsmen later at the PDP secretariat, Chief Olu-Ojo claimed that “the grand plan by the ACN to rig the coming election has started in earnest, as the party’s trained thugs have started operation in Ekiti State, killing members of the PDP and destroying and disrupting PDP properties and rallies every day now.”

In a related development, the ACN called for the arrest of Bamisile, saying the PDP, its leaders and members had plans “to cause mayhem in Ekiti State in the run-up to the April general election.”

Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Mohammed Jimoh, said he could not confirm the deaths, but said security had been beefed up in the town to contain the crisis.

In Ikenne-Remo, the Nigerian Tribune gathered that the incident occurred at Aiyepe junction, when a vehicle in the convoy of Awosedo ran into the motorcyclists, leaving two dead instantly.

The incident, which occurred at noon, forced the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Adetunji Olurin, to postpone his campaign rally till further notice, in honour of the dead.

One of the vehicles in Awosedo’s convoy containing musical instruments and public address system was set ablaze by the angry mob.

-Tribunewp_posts