Congresses: Ondo APC Chair Attacked At Party Meeting, Gov Aiyedatiwa Denies Sponsoring Thugs

The Ondo State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ade Adetimehin, was attacked at a meeting of party stakeholders in the state by thugs suspected to be sponsored by the State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

Adetimehin had alleged that thugs linked to the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) were hired to storm the party secretariat in Akure, where the meeting was underway.

But the state governor has described the allegation of his involvement in the attack as ludicrous.

Responding to LEADERSHIP’s question on the matter, Governor Aiyedatiwa’s chief press secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said the governor had nothing to do with whatever happened at the party secretariat.

He said the governor told security agents to go and restore order at the party office as soon as he heard of the disturbance.

Recall that LEADERSHIP had recently exclusively reported that the parallel congresses would be held in Ondo State following complaints of some party leaders in the state over the hijacking of the process by the state governor and his commissioners.

However, the state governor had denied the claims that the process was being hijacked, adding that all leaders in the state were carried along in the processes leading to the exercise.

But according to accounts from within the party yesterday, the armed attackers reportedly forced their way into the venue, causing panic and bringing the gathering to an abrupt end as members fled for safety.

Speaking after the incident, the chairman claimed he was personally assaulted during the chaos, describing the attack as deliberate and politically motivated. He also alleged that his mobile phone was seized amid the violence.

Party sources have described the development as a major security breach, noting that the assailants allegedly bypassed existing security measures before gaining access to the premises.

Reacting, Adeniyan said “That’s ludicrous. The Governor has nothing to do with whatever happened at the party secretariat and when he heard of the disturbance there, he called on security agencies to go there and restore order.

“He’s now at the Secretariat with other party leaders for a stakeholders meeting with the Congress committees sent from the national secretariat of the party,” the spokesman said yesterday.