Governor denies involvement as thugs disrupt meeting, beat Ondo APC leaders

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Ade Adetimehin, has narrated how suspected political thugs attacked party members at its secretariat in Akure, the state capital.

Adetimehin in an interview with newsmen in Akure on Tuesday said the attackers demanded that the APC should not conduct its Ward Congress in the state.

Adetimehin 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 said the venue was already filled when the attackers invaded it, alleging that they were mobilised to disrupt the meeting.

The APC chairman stated that the attackers beat party leaders and members, seized his phones and other valuables.

He disclosed that several members of the APC who sustained injuries during the attack, were taken to the hospital for treatment.

Adetimehin said: “We were in the secretariat for about one and a half hours on Monday and 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 about the meeting.

“We both agreed that after the meeting, myself and the committee would go to him, because it is their duty to tell us the modality for the congress and how we are going to conduct the congress.

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“After speaking with him, I told him that I heard that some people are mobilising to 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 with 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, with my wristwatch. They equally beat my diver. A lot of our members were wounded during the attack.”

Reacting to the incident, the state government denied the allegations linking Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to the disruption.

The Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, 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 Aiyedatiwa had consistently demonstrated leadership rooted in inclusiveness, civility, and democratic principles, adding that his administration has zero tolerance for political violence.

The commissioner added that the Ondo APC remained disciplined and committed to constructive engagement, noting that political meetings and consultations had been held peacefully across the state without disruption.

The Star