Ondo APC Chair Assaulted as Congress Meeting Turns Violent
Violence erupted Tuesday at the Ondo State secretariat of the All Progressives Congress in Akure, leaving several party leaders injured and heightening tensions ahead of crucial ward congresses. Armed men stormed a pre-congress stakeholders’ meeting, assaulting the state chairman and other officials. The disruption occurred barely 24 hours before the party’s scheduled congress across 203 wards statewide.
Eyewitnesses reported that the attackers arrived wielding cutlasses and other weapons. They allegedly declared allegiance to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and rejected any discussion of the congress. Witnesses further claimed the assailants threatened violence against perceived dissenters. The meeting collapsed as panic swept through the party secretariat.
Among those assaulted was the state chairman, Ade Adetimehin. Also injured were Otito Atikase of the Niger Delta Development Commission board and former Sports Commissioner Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye. Medical teams later transported victims to nearby hospitals for urgent treatment. Adetimehin accused unnamed sponsors of orchestrating the disruption to derail internal processes.
He recounted that attackers beat him, dragged him across the floor, and seized his personal belongings. He insisted the violence targeted leaders perceived as unsympathetic to certain interests.
Consequently, the incident deepened suspicions of factional maneuvering within the state chapter.
However, the Commissioner for Information, Idowu Ajanaku, dismissed allegations linking the governor to the violence. He described such claims as unfounded and misleading. He maintained that the governor neither sanctioned nor had prior knowledge of the meeting. According to him, the administration opposes political intimidation and violence unequivocally.
Meanwhile, the state Police Command confirmed it received a distress call promptly. Spokesperson Abayomi Jimoh stated that officers deployed tactical units to restore order. He added that investigators have commenced inquiries to identify perpetrators and sponsors. Security teams now maintain surveillance around the secretariat to prevent further unrest.
This episode underscores fragile cohesion within the ruling party’s Ondo structure. Although ward congresses often stir rivalry, physical attacks signal deeper fractures. Therefore, party leaders must act swiftly to restore discipline and credibility before the congress proceeds.