There was pandemonium on Thursday at the Ondo State Secretariat of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akure following a clash between the aggrieved members and supporters of the party.
It was learned that this clash was between the supporters of the embattled Chairman, Isaacs Kekemeke, and the loyalists of the Saka Yusuf Ogunleye-led faction of the opposition party.
SaharaReporters gathered that the supporters of both factions clashed at the entrance to the front gate of the party’s secretariat as they threw stones and other dangerous weapons at each opposing side.
Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that there was sporadic shooting during the clash which lasted for several hours at the party’s office on Oyemekun Road in Akure.
One of the eyewitnesses, Adedayo Balogun, told SaharaReporters that the clash began when the supporters of Mr. Ogunleye forcefully stormed the party’s secretariat to chase away the loyalists of Mr. Kekemeke.
Mr. Kekemeke’s loyalists led by Amoda Bello had on Wednesday taken over the party’s secretariat and driven away supporters of Mr. Ogunleye.
Among these loyalists were hoodlums and members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NUTRW) in the Ondo State chapter of the commercial drivers group.
Speaking further, Mr. Balogun disclosed that the Thursday’s incident was a reprisal attack to unleash terror on the party’s secretariat by both factions ahead of the party’s primary election.
“There was shooting everywhere and we had to quickly scamper for safety as they got everyone on the street on aware,” he said.
SaharaReporters recalled that the aggrieved members of the party had on Tuesday announced the removal of Mr. Kekemeke as the party’s chairman.
They also chased away members of the State Executive Council (SEC) from the party’s office following the imposition of a gubernatorial candidate and the insertion of fictitious names on the delegate list.
Already, a detachment of armed policemen, operatives of the State Security Service (SSS), and officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have taken over the party’s secretariat due to the clashes.
These security operatives were deployed to strategic locations around the entrance of the party’s secretariat on Akure to reinstall normalcy and ensure peace.
Addressing reporters shortly after the incident, Mr. Kekemeke said the aggrieved members should desist from causing trouble as the party prepares for its primary election fixed for August 27.
He disclosed that a peace meeting has been fixed for the party’s national secretariat in Abuja to resolve all wary factions and impasse in the party.
Also, Mr. Ogunleye who spoke to sources close to SaharaReporters revealed that Mr. Kekemeke has allegedly compromised the constitution of the party by doctoring the delegate’s list for his preferred candidate.
He alleged that the embattled chairman, Mr, Kekemeke, has perfected plans with Governor Olusegun Mimiko to cause disunity in the opposition party.