Bloodshed At Ondo APC Congress, Four Feared Dead, Chairman’s Brother In Coma
•By Admin
AKURE — THE wards Congress of All Progressives Congress (APC) held on Wednesday across the 203 wards in Ondo State went bloody as four persons fear killed and the younger brother of the state chairman of the party, Raphael Adetimehin, is currently in coma.
Idanre, known to be politically volatile, was engulfed in violent attacks when the Congress supposed to commerce in the town.
Four persons, according to sources, fear killed in the attacks unleased by some members of the party who belong to a particular faction.
The younger brother of the state Chairman of the party was attacked and hacked by the miscreants who were said to be looking for the state chairman to kill.
Confirming the attack on his younger brother, state Chairman of APC, Engr. Ade Adetimehin said his younger brother is currently in coma.
He said his younger brother was attacked and hacked by some thugs, who were looking for him in his home town, Idanre, Idanre Local Government Area of the state,
Adetimehin explained that due striking semblance with him, his brother was attacked by the armed thugs and hacked severally till he passed out.
He said: “When the thugs saw his car, they thought it was me because he’s my lookalike.
“The thugs shot at him severally and when they realized that he was not hurt, they hacked him with machetes, axe and stabbed him many times till he was no longer breathing.
“They set his car ablaze and left him on the ground when they were sure that he was lifeless.
“His lifeless body was taken to the hospital, where the doctor confirmed that he was in a state of coma.
“We are praying that he would recover because he has lost so much blood.”
It would be recalled that on Tuesday, the APC chairman was attacked by some thugs allegedly led by the chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers(NURTW) in the state.
Adetimehin’s driver and many other people were hospitalized in Akure, the state capital.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa later in the evening on Tuesday held a stakeholders’ meeting, saying the meeting was yet to begin when the thugs chased the attendees out.
He described thugs as supporters of some aspirants in the party.
Chieftains of the party, who were attacked at the party’s Secretariat on Tuesday, alleged the Governor of being the brain behind the attack.
Denying the allegation, Governor Aiyedatiwa said he had no connection with the miscreants or the attack.
Confirming the violent attacks in Idanre, the Spokesman to the state Police Command, Abayomi Jimoh, a Deputy Superintendent of Police(DSP) said the Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, led a team of policemen to the town to quell the violence.
In a statement, Abayomi confirmed that five people were attacked but only died among them, while other are still in hospital.
He said: “During the incident, five persons yet to be identified were reportedly attacked, and a vehicle was set ablaze. Three victims sustained varying degrees of injury and are currently receiving medical attention, while two others were confirmed dead at the hospital.
“The Commissioner of Police visited the injured victims to assess their condition and assured them of the Command’s support.”
Although no one has been arrested, the Abayomi said: “Investigation is ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding the attack and to apprehend those responsible for this heinous act.”
Meanwhile, a chieftain of the party Chief Erastus Akeju told journalists on Wednesday, while stating his ordeal at the party’s Secretariat on Tuesday, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the crisis without delay.
He disclosed that the cause of the attacks was a cold war between the state governor and the Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunj-Ojo.
Akeju said: “From those that we have contacted, I know that at least three elders that were injured, they are not less than 50.
“Because we are calling one another to check on our safety. So I can look for, after this, I can give you a list of those who are really seriously injured.
“Now, we hold our meeting here regularly with the elders committee, and we have always said one thing. This dichotomy between BTO(Bunmi Tunji-Ojo) and the governor is not new to us. We are not aware. It has not been brought before the elders. BTO has not reported to us that the governor is after him. The governor has not reached out to us to say that BTO is challenging him.
“We are just, we are waiting for an opportunity to see what is really happening. You see, when there is no report of violence or anything, or disagreement, physical disagreement, I mean, we cannot just go to the governor, are you quarreling with BTO? Or ask BTO, what is between you and the governor? We say, nothing.
“So it is now that it has escalated publicly into physical confrontation. That we cannot say, all right, it’s time for the elders to intervene. We saw what happened yesterday. I was there. You see, the chairman called a meeting of stakeholders.
“You have read it. We are in the media. He said he consulted the governor. It was instigated by those who came from Abuja to conduct the election. And it was an emergency meeting.
“They contacted us, and we came. We went there. We did not go there as anybody’s supporter. It was the stakeholders who discussed the congress that would take place today. So how those who attacked the place came about, of course, we have an idea. They believed that any meeting called, because usually the stakeholders’ meeting is called by the governor. As a matter of fact, it is wrong. It is the chairman of the party that will call the stakeholders’ meeting.
“So the chairman is right in calling the meeting anyway. That is part of his responsibility, which the authority conferred on him allows. So he called the meeting, and since they said it is going to take place in the secretariat, it’s called by the party chairman. Why should we not be there? Why should we be thinking of any group or any faction? It was not a faction, no matter.
“But apparently, they thought that anything that the chairman did, they have this perception that he is pro-BTO. Even we heard that. We are not aware of that. All we know is that he is the chairman of the party. We don’t know whether he is pro-BTO or pro-Nobel. He has not come here to discuss BTO with us. We have never discussed BTO with him.
“So when we got there now, I was one of the last people in that hall. Because when the violence broke out, I decided to maintain calm. I waited and observed. Because I was right towards the top of the high table. I was watching whether anybody would come to attack me, where I was standing.
So, I saw them throwing chairs and grabbing the big wood. Then I saw a man injured lying down there on the floor. I now decided to go and help him. But I was apprehensive. When I began to hear the shout, if you are not targeted, we don’t want to see you. No BTO. No BTO. Then I realized that my life is in danger. Because I am a BTO person. And everybody knows that.
“So, I said to the people who recognized me, I’m finished. So what did I do? I used that person who was on the floor as a shield. So I pretended as if I was taking care of him. I bowed down. Then when we managed to raise him up, I now held him by my hand. And then pretended as if I was leading him out. I hid myself. I started limping.
“To show that me too, I was injured. And then, of course, I put my head on the floor. I didn’t want them to see my face. Until, you know, I moved. Templars(Sola Ajisafe) joined me. We were trying to take care of the man. As we reached the exit door of the hall, they accosted him. They said, is he not Templar? Are you BTO? That was the last I heard. I had already moved away.
“What answer I gave them that led to his being dragged, I don’t know. But apparently, they were able to identify him as a pro-BTO person. And he has been writing a lot of things against Aiyedatiwa. So they dealt with him there. So when we went downstairs, I thought that I had already escaped. So I buckled up and then straightened up, thinking that I could just walk.
“Then somebody said, ah, this man with this cap. Ah, bam, bam, bam. And then hit me in my leg. And then they hit me on my left hand. But I dare not look back. I quickened my speed. I ran to my vehicle. That’s how we escaped.
So it was not until now we didn’t know anything about it. If I was not there yesterday, I would be doubting that it wasn’t a matter between BTO and Aiyedatiwa. But I heard them. I was there in the hall. When they were shouting, no BTO, no BTO. But if you’re Aiyedatiwa, wait.
“So I was embarrassed. So that was the first time that it came very clear to us that this matter involved this rivalry that we have been hearing of, that we don’t know anything about. We now have an idea. That’s why we are calling on Mr. President and the chairman of our party to intervene.”
•INDEPENDENTNG.