Gunshots on Monday rocked some wards in the Ondo Central Senatorial District in Ondo State during the senatorial primaries of the All Progressives Congress, APC, following the invasion of the venues by suspected political thugs.
The thugs suspected to be loyal to one of the aspirants in the district stormed Ward 5 Okelisa, Amudipe Street, Akure, the state capital, where they attacked supporters of of the senator representing the district, Adeniyi Adegbomire.
Adegbomire, who is also seeking the ticket of the party, escaped from the scene where his vehicle was shot at by the thugs.
The thugs shot sporadically into the air and as well shot at the senator’s vehicle, who was whisked always from the scene by his security personnel.
Journalists covering the exercise, pupils of Ebenezer Primary School, and traders within the vicinity, were forced to scamper for safety as gunshots rocked the axis.
The assailants also wielded machetes, attacking voters and disrupting the counting processes at the ward.
Speaking to journalists, Adegbomire said the exercise was deliberately sabotaged.
Stating that the process was already favouring him, he alleged that the thugs were deployed to prevent his supporters from accessing the wards.
He said, “It’s a charade. It is a complete charade. I went to my ward, Okilisa Ward 5, Akure South Local Government today. today is the Senate primaries for the APC. I was there.
“And whilst we were there, they told everybody to line up and they started counting. They counted my supporters who were voting for me. It was about 360. They started counting that of Taiwo Fasoranti because there were three lines. Mine was in the middle. Taiwo Fasoranti’s own was to the right. Adu’s own was to the left.
“Then they started counting Taiwo Fasoranti’s own. When it was glaring to them that I think it got about a hundred and something – thugs came and invaded the place. Shot in the air, shot at my car. I can show you the bullet mark.
They started trying to machete people. Beating people up. They disrupted the entire process.
“Now, that is not even bad enough. I am getting reports from all over the senatorial district that the same thing is happening. And that they are not allowing my supporters to even get onto the field. They are saying that if you are not going to vote for Fasoranti, go back to your house. They have hired thugs to intimidate people.”
(Daily Post)
