Ondo Election: Thugs attack SDP candidates, injure others
With three days to the conduct of the local government election in Ondo State, the chairmanship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in Idanre Local Government Area of the state, Mr. Bankole Akinselure has been attacked by suspected political thugs.
Akinselure was attacked alongside his running mate, Mr. Idowu Akinrotohun with seven other members of the party injured in the attack.
According to some members of the party, the attack was launched on them during a meeting at the SDP secretariat in Agosile-Odode of Idanre town.
Recall that the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission, ODIEC, had fixed August 22 for the council polls in the state with no fewer than seven political parties already signified interest to participate in the process.
A member of the SDP who was one of those caught in the web of the attack alleged that the hoodlums were sponsored by some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the local government.
Read Also:
The SDP member who craved anonymity emphasized that the thugs numbering about 26 stormed the secretariat with machetes and other dangerous weapons.
“These thugs came fully armed and attacked SDP members in the meeting with cutlasses and axes, including stones.
“The thugs destroyed all the posters and billboards that were posted at the secretariat. We had to quickly call the police to intervene but surprisingly to us, they came late and started watching these thugs attacking and destroying our properties.”
Also, the Chairmanship candidate of the party, Mr. Akinselure who confirmed the attack said, “It is true we were attacked and I put a call to the DPO at Olofin Police Station and Deputy Commissioner of Police but it is unfortunate that the policemen who came to the scene of the attack could not do anything to stop the attack.”
Meanwhile, the attack led to protest among the supporters of the SDP as they expressed anger towards the attitude of the police during the violence.
When contacted, Mr. Tee Leo-Ikoro, Spokesman for the Ondo State Police Command said he was yet to be properly briefed.
