- During Tuesday’s attack, Adetimehin and other party leaders were reportedly assaulted
- On Wednesday, tension escalated in parts of Idanre as the ward congress failed to take place in some areas following an attack by hoodlums
- One of those targeted was the brother of the APC state chairman, Raphael Adetimehin
Violence erupted on Wednesday during the ward congress of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State, leaving two people dead and several others injured in Idanre Local Government Area.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the clash occurred less than 24 hours after suspected political thugs stormed the party’s state secretariat in Akure, disrupting a stakeholders’ meeting led by the state chairman, Ade Adetimehin.
EDITOR’S PICK
- Grand Wedding Reception: Halimot, Saheed Mark Their Union
- Ikosi-Ejinrin LCDA Celebrates Former Chairman, Hon. Segun Adetola, on Birthday
- Sanwo-Olu Flags Off Free Eye Screening for 1,000 Lagos Police Officers
During Tuesday’s attack, Adetimehin and other party leaders were reportedly assaulted, while a number of members sustained injuries.
On Wednesday, tension escalated in parts of Idanre as the ward congress failed to take place in some areas following an attack by hoodlums. Vehicles were reportedly set ablaze amid the unrest. The exact trigger of the violence had yet to be determined at the time of reporting.
One of those targeted was the brother of the APC state chairman, Raphael Adetimehin, who was attacked in his ward.
Confirming the incident, the chairman said the assailants appeared to have mistaken his brother for him due to their striking resemblance.
According to Adetimehin, his brother was shot and attacked with a machete, and his vehicle was allegedly burnt. He said the attackers left him after assuming he had died, lamenting the extreme level of violence linked to political activities.
The Ondo State Police Command confirmed that two people lost their lives while three others sustained injuries in the Idanre incident. Police spokesperson DSP Abayomi Jimoh said the attack occurred around 11 a.m. and involved the burning of a vehicle.
Jimoh added that the Commissioner of Police, alongside the State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, led a joint security team to the scene. Their intervention, he said, helped restore calm to the affected area.
The injured victims are receiving medical treatment, while investigations have commenced to identify and apprehend those responsible.
The police assured residents that additional tactical units had been deployed to prevent further breakdown of law and order.
Meanwhile, APC elders in Ondo State under the PBAT Mandate Elders Forum condemned the earlier attack on the party secretariat in Akure, during which about 15 elders were reportedly injured.
In a statement signed by the forum’s chairman, Pa Erastus Akeju, the group described the assault on the state chairman and other leaders as a serious breach of democratic norms and party discipline.
The elders called the violence unacceptable and warned that such actions undermine the party’s principles and internal order.
They urged Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure accountability, stressing the need to restore stability within the party’s ranks.
The forum also appealed to the APC’s national leadership to conduct a thorough investigation, impose appropriate sanctions, and reinforce discipline across party structures.
The elders maintained that intimidation and political thuggery have no place in a democratic system, warning that failure to address the incidents decisively could embolden further acts of violence.
FURTHER READING
