Ekiti 2022: Scores Injured, Cars Damaged as Oni’s Convey is Attacked

Victor Ogunje

In what looks like a bad omen for the June 18 governorship poll in Ekiti State, the  convoy of the former governor Segun Oni and  candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) was allegedly attacked yesterday at Efon Alaaye, Efon Local Government Area of the State, by suspected party thugs.

Efon is the hometown of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Bisi Kolawole.

According to the Publicity Secretary, Segun Oni campaign organisation, Jackson Adebayo, the hoodlums, who besieged the venue of the rally shot sporadically into the air and wounded many in the process.

 Adebayo said the hoodlums brandished  guns, cutlasses, sticks and stones, but were confronted by combined forces of security men, who averted bloodshed in the process.

Adebayo said: “The campaign train which had successfully toured nine local governments since Monday and fully received by large turnout of members and supporters of the SDP was attacked with gunshots, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons at the centre of the town around 3.30pm.

“Shortly after the Efon Local Government members and supporters of the SDP had converged at the venue to wait for the arrival of  the party’s governorship candidate, Segun Oni, the thugs started shooting and attacked the supporters with sticks and cutlasses.

“Some supporters were badly injured and vehicles in the convoy were damaged by thugs before the arrival of a detachment of police, who overpowered the thugs.

“An officer of the Nigeria Security and  Civil Defence Corps was not spared by the thugs as they attempted to snatch his gun, though he was wounded, but refused to surrender his gun.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, ASP Sunday Abutu, confirmed the attack, saying  the gun-wielding  thugs invaded the campaign ground of the former governor and made spirited efforts to disrupt it.

“Yes, the hoodlums  came to the venue with dangerous weapons to disrupt the consultation process of the SDP candidate,  Segun Oni, but our men were able to put the situation under control.

“The police have begun investigation and arrest will be made and those behind it will surely have a case to answer”.

However, Oni during his  visit  to Oye, Ikole, Ekiti East, Ekiti West, Efon, Ijero and Gbonyin local government areas, told Fayemi to deploy his expertise  in war studies  to tackle senseless killings, kidnapping and ritual killings in the state.

He said: “I am calling on governor Kayode Fayemi, who has PhD in War Studies, to use his knowledge to tackle kidnapping in the state. Kidnappers have declared war on our people, this has been going on since for four years ago and it has not ceased.”

The former governor described the PDP regarded as a major opposition in Ekiti  as a dead party  that will be buried on June 18, saying “ The party is dead we will only do the funeral with this coming election”.

“You know what I represent, I am not a leader that can embezzle your money, or a leader that will deprive workers and masses of their entitlements. So I will spend whatever meant for the state on all our citizens”.

Oni said those scrambling for the state and National Assembly seats under SDP need not offer bribes to any leader, saying all eligible members can aspire for any political position without discrimination.

“We are not going to impose anybody. It was imposition that killed Ekiti APC and PDP and that shouldn’t happen in  SDP. We must be seen to be transparent and fair to all. Our primary will be a benchmark and nothing more,” he said.