Supporters of the
Labour Party (LP) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday
engaged in a violent clash in Ose area of Ondo State leaving one person
dead and at least 15 people injured.
For several hours,
gun shots were fired by the fighters as residents scampered for safety.
A close associate of a senator, Bode Olajumoke, simply identified as
Baba Tayo was reportedly killed by a stray bullet during the shooting.
Three supporters of
the ACN who were cut on their heads with machetes were receiving
treatment at a private hospital at the time of this report.
The party’s House
of Assembly candidate for Ose constituency, Olatunji Oshati popularly
known as “Maxima” managed to escape when his convoy was attacked.
Mr. Oshati who
recently defected to from the LP alleged that supporters of the ruling
party attacked ACN members who were returning from Imeri in Ose Local
Government.
“I was ahead of
convoy of three vehicles. We were about getting to Afo for a meeting
when somebody called me that the last vehicle in the convoy had been
attacked and I should come back, but another person warned that I
should not go back if I love my life”.
“I went to the Ifon
police Station to lodge a complaint and I was still in the station
discussing with the Divisional Police Officer when he heard sporadic
gunshots fired at the police station”.
The spokesperson for the police, Adeniran Aremu, confirmed the incident
Mr. Oshati alleged that members of the ruling party had been attacking his supporters since he defected to the ACN.
However, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Ranti Akerele, refuted the claim.
The Commissioner, a member of the LP, said the ACN members were the ones attacking LP members.
“Those behind the attack are people who lost out in the party primaries and thought politics is a do-or-die affair,” he said.
“These people who
have brought violence into Ose politics are people who are former
members of LP; they are aggrieved members who can best be described as
political neophytes.”
Mr. Akerele said
his party had reported the case to the police, stressing that those
behind the violence would not go unpunished.
Reacting, the state
chairman of ACN, Jumoke Anifowose, called on the Inspector General of
Police, Hafiz Ringim, and the state police boss to call the ruling LP
to order.
