The battle for supremacy in Akungba Akoko in Akoko
South West Local Government Area of Ondo State has continued to create
tension in the area as the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the
Labour Party (LP) intensify efforts to hold sway in the area.
The crisis in the area has degenerated to a level
that the two parties have raised an alarm over threat to the lives of
their members.
Specifically, the battle line is drawn between a
House of Representatives candidate under the platform of the ACN for
Akoko South West/South East federal constituency in Ondo State,
Adegboyega Adefarati, and a House of Assembly candidate for LP, Abiodun
Ogunbi.
Mr Adefarati, the first son of the late former
governor of the state, Adebayo Adefarati, has petitioned the
Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Hafiz Ringim through the state
Commissioner of Police over alleged attempt to assassinate him last
Saturday.
In a petition written by his lawyer, Tunji
Abayomi, dated April 5, 2011, he accused Mr Ogunbi of sponsoring thugs
suspected to be LP loyalists.
The petition
The petition reads in part “On Saturday April 2,
2011 the day of the botched election at about 11am while returning home
after the aborted elections, Adegboyega Adefarati, an ACN candidate’s
life was put under imminent threat by gunmen.
“The hoodlums numbering 10 came under the
directive of Mr Abiodun Ogunbi, an LP Candidate for the House of
Assembly, in Akoko South West II and started shooting sporadically
which made me to run for my safety.
“The attempted assault with the illegal arms took
place in Akungba and it may have been intended to cause grievous bodily
harm to our client.”
However, Mr Ogunbi described the allegation as a
calculated attempt to dent his image, stressing that ACN and PDP are
working together against his interest.
He said, “I am a son to Adefarati’s family; I was elected in 2007 as a legislator under Alliance for Democracy (AD).
“But now I am in LP, there is no way I can work
for ACN. On that Saturday, soldiers and other security agencies were in
Akungba and I stayed permanently in my unit.
“The allegation was made in order to destroy my
name; I have reported the petition against me to the regent of Akungba
and her chiefs who have summoned the two of us for a meeting in the
palace.” Copies of the petition had been sent to the State Police
Commissioner and Director of State Security Service (SSS).
