Not less than eight persons were injured on Wednesday as supporters of Rotimi Akeredolu of All Progressives Congress (APC) and Eyitayo Jegede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clashed in Ondo.
This face off is coming less than a month to the October 10 governorship poll.
It was gathered that Mr Akeredolu’s campaign convoy ran into the campaign convoy of Mr Jegede and in the process, various vehicles were damaged.
The Akeredolu Campaign Organisation’s spokesperson, Olatunde Olabode, in a statement said Mr Jegede’s ‘thugs’ were responsible for the incident while they were going to Ikare-Akoko for their local government campaign.
“The branded campaign vehicle donated to Akeredolu campaign by Sola Iji has been set ablaze by the PDP hoodlums. The driver of the vehicle sustained bodily injury and now receiving treatment at a government hospital”, he said.
The spokesperson of the Eyitayo Jegede Campaign Organisation spokesperson, Samuel Fasua, in another statement, said several of Mr Jegede’s supporters were severely injured.
He also disclosed that “Akeredolu was sighted inside the convoy while the attacks lasted. Police operatives in the location simply vacillated and looked on in the face of the orgies of madness.”
“In the last five days too, there have been series of attacks on PDP supporters in Aiyede-Ogbese community in Akure North LGA, leading to machete and gun attacks and the burning of at least two houses of PDP members.”
“These continued attacks on PDP members by Aketi’s political thugs and shock troops, are no doubt threatening the peace of our dear state.
“We earnestly call on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector-General of Police to urgently wade in, to save the lives of members of the public who are being prevented by the powers-that-be in Ondo State from belonging to political parties of their choice”, Mr Jegede campaign said.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the state police command, Tee-leo Ikoro, told newsmen that “we heard seven were already injured in the political clash and I am on my way to the scene now. Some soldiers and police officers are also there already to douse the tension.”
