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| APC |
Activities at the Ondo State secretariat of the All Progressives Congress were on Tuesday disrupted following a violent clash that marred a stakeholders’ meeting convened ahead of the party’s ward congresses.
The state APC Chairman, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, accused members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers of invading the party office along Ilesha Garage Road and attacking party leaders and delegates gathered for the meeting.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the incident, Adetimehin alleged that the NURTW group, led by its chairman, Ambassador Ademola Odudu, forcefully entered the secretariat and assaulted several party members during the exercise.
According to him, the meeting was scheduled following a directive from the party’s national secretariat, with members of the congress and appeal committees already present alongside government officials, including the Special Adviser to the Governor on Legislative and Party Affairs, Kolawole Babatunde.
He claimed that trouble began when the NURTW members arrived at the venue and ordered attendees to vacate the premises, insisting that no gathering should hold without approval.
The APC chairman alleged that he was physically attacked, pushed to the ground, and had his phone damaged during the fracas.
Adetimehin added that he had earlier notified the Commissioner of Police about the planned meeting, expressing disappointment that violence still erupted despite prior security awareness.
Confirming the incident, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, said operatives were immediately deployed after receiving a distress call and were able to restore order at the secretariat.
Abayomi disclosed that one injured person was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, adding that the Commissioner of Police had ordered the deployment of tactical teams to maintain security while investigations into the disruption continue.
Meanwhile, the APC condemned the violence, describing it as an unfortunate development that should not be linked to the forthcoming congress.
In a statement issued by the party’s Director of Media and Publicity, Steve Otaloro, the party said preliminary findings indicated the crisis stemmed from a misunderstanding allegedly escalated by a few individuals whose actions do not reflect the party’s values.
The party warned against politicising the incident or associating it with internal democratic processes, noting that an internal review had commenced to determine the full circumstances surrounding the clash.
The statement also commended Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for directing security agencies to intervene promptly, adding that calm had been restored and normal activities had resumed at the secretariat.
Reaffirming its commitment to peaceful and credible congresses, the APC urged members and the public to ignore narratives capable of creating tension, insisting that the party remained united and focused on strengthening internal democracy.
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