Mr. Ade Adetimehin, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, has narrated how suspected political thugs attacked party members at its secretariat in Akure.
Adetimehin, in an interview with newsmen on Tuesday in Akure, said the attackers demanded that the party not conduct its Ward Congress in the state.
He narrated that a stakeholders’ meeting was convened at the instance of the congress committee from the national secretary, Abuja, which had met with the state party officials on Monday.
Adetimehin explained that the venue was already filled when the attackers invaded it, alleging that they were mobilised to disrupt the meeting.
He claimed that the attackers beat party leaders and members, seized his phones and other valuables.
He disclosed that several members of the party who sustained injuries during the attack were taken to the hospital for treatment.
“We were in the secretariat for about one and a half hours on Monday, the chairman of the Ward Congress Committee said we should hold a stakeholder’s meeting today, that I should call the meeting.
“We both agreed to hold the meeting by 12 noon, and by 12.35pm, the hall was filled to its capacity. I spoke with Mr governor one on one about the meeting.
“We both agreed that after the meeting, the committee and I would go to him and meet him, because it is their duty to tell us the modality for the Congress and how we are going to conduct the Congress.
“After speaking with him, I told him that I heard from the grapevine that some people are mobilising at the secretariat to disrupt the meeting.
“The governor said there was nothing like that and promised to caution anybody behind it.
“30 minutes later, the venue was invaded by thugs, armed with cutlasses and others. They beat hell out of all leaders and members, except those who are for them.
“They dragged me on the floor, I didn’t bother, they took away my two phones from my pocket, and my wristwatch. They equally beat my diver. A lot of our members were wounded during the attack,” he stated.
Reacting to the incident, the state government denied the allegations linking the governor to the disruption.
The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, in a statement, described the claim of the governor’s involvement as “malicious, false and an attempt to tarnish his image.”
Ajanaku said the governor was neither aware nor connected to the meeting and could not have sanctioned any act of thuggery.
He said that the governor had consistently demonstrated leadership rooted in inclusiveness, civility and democratic principles, adding that his administration has zero tolerance for political violence.
The commissioner said the APC in the state remained disciplined and committed to constructive engagement, noting that political meetings and consultations had been held peacefully across the state without disruption.
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