Akeredolu, Abraham’s supporters clash in Ondo

A violent clash erupted, on Tuesday, in Akure, the Ondo State capital, between supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC), gubernatorial candidate, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, and those of his closest challenger in the last primary election of the party, Segun Abraham.

The incident, lasted for about two hours at the state party secretariat.

Several party supporters and passers-by running for safety were injured in the melee.

Social and economic activities along the popular Oyemekun road where the party secretariat is located were paralysed while the incident lasted.

The clash was provoked by the peaceful protest staged by Abraham’s supporters against the outcome of the party’s governorship primary.

The supporters were carried placards with inscriptions such as “With Abraham we stand”, “Restore Abraham’s mandate,”

“Abraham is APC’s candidate” and “Abraham is the authentic winner of September 3 primary.”

They moved from Fiwasaye Rounabout to the party secretariat.

Leader of the protesters, Enas Muhammed, said Abraham was the winner of the the shadow poll and that the ticket should be returned to him.

But the Publicity Secretary, Omooba Abayomi Adesanya, said the protesters were youths hired from Kogi, Ekiti and Edo states.

He said: “We reliably gathered that these people, who are majorly youths and students, were hired from neighboring states and tertiary institutions after being given N2000 each and mobilized to Akure, the State capital, to create an unnecessary scene and disrupt the peace we enjoy in the State.

“The protesters are not our Party members. We do not have hooligans in our Party. All our members have accepted the decision of the party on Akeredolu’s candidature and are in various units and wards across the state mobilizing for the Party and its candidate.

“The Party is supreme and its decision is binding on all members irrespective of status. The public should disregard them and security agencies should do the needful.”