Ekiti APC leaders allegedly attacked for endorsing lawmaker’s second term bid

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Suspected thugs, yesterday, allegedly launched an attack on some leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ekiti West Local Government area of Ekiti State over a decision affirming the second term bid of a member of the State House of Assembly, Hon Tajudeen Akingbolu.

The leaders, led by former Ekiti APC State Chairman, Chief Jide Awe and other topnotchers, were at a meeting held in Erinjiyan Ekiti in the Council, when the suspected political thugs attacked them.

Other leaders at the event were Chairman of the Ekiti West Local Government, Hon. Sedan Okere, former Deputy Speaker, Ekiti House of Assembly, Hon. Gbenga Odebunmi, former Chairman of Ekiti West Local Government, Otunba Akin Oluwadare and others.

However, Akingbolu, who related the attack to newsmen, had claimed that the thugs were allegedly being prodded by one of the contestants for the assembly seat and former Council Chairman, who was said to be aggrieved over the endorsement.

Recounting how the attack happened, Akingbolu, currently representing Ekiti West constituency 1 in the Assembly, said the meeting, which started at 10am was orderly and hitch-free until 10.30am, when Otunba Akin Oluwadare read the communique issued by the elders.

Akingbolu said: “Immediately it was announced that the leadership of the constituency had settled for Ward 01 and adopted me, the thugs, who came in chartered bus and appeared in uniform customized t-shirt unleashed terror on them.

“It became a free for all as the youths started singing war songs and hauling stones at the leaders while demanding that they wanted to attack me specifically. All the leaders had to scamper to safety.”

In the communique read by Oluwadare at the meeting endorsing Akingbolu, the leaders said they took the action to resolve the lingering crisis rocking the contest for the House of Assembly seat and for equitable distribution of positions in the council.It reads: “That the Constituency 1 House of Assembly slot should be zoned to Ward 01, Aramoko to balance the political equation between Ward 01 and Ward 02.