A political tension had been brewing in some communities in Ekiti since Thursday as some grassroots leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Ayede South Itaji Ward 10 in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti, accused some members of the All Progressive Congress (APC), of allegedly attacking them and using the police to arrest their members for offences they allegedly did not commit.

This was just as a member of the Ekiti State House of Assembly and chairman, House Committee on information, Samuel Omotoso, who represents Oye Constituency 1, of the state, alleged that the standard bearer of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Kayode Fayemi, was after his life for having led several oppositions moves against the ex-minister.

When newsmen got to the community, PDP ward secretariat in Itaji ward 10 was in shambles while that of APC was intact. Some people who also claimed to be attacked by APC supporters showed bruises over their bodies.

But spokesman to John Kayode Fayemi campaign organisation, Wole Olujobi, dismissed the claims as untrue, unfounded and calculated to score cheap blackmail, saying it was the PDP committing the atrocities but blaming it on APC.

A leader of the PDP in the community, Chief Oluwole Paul, 73, while speaking with newsmen at the weekend about the alleged attack on PDP members, said: “The attack on our members happened at about noon on Thursday after Fayemi’s campaign team had done their rally in this area.

“They came to my house where PDP flagbearer, Olusola Kolapo Eleka’s billboards were torn and everything pulled down tore other posters and billboards. I didn’t say anything because our governor, Fayose has told us not to retaliate anything the APC thugs did to us.
“But later that day, while we were preparing to set up the canopy and chairs in our ward Secretariat, I suddenly saw a Hilux vehicle full of men in police uniforms. They double-crossed my vehicle and came down to descend on me. They beat me with several weapons. And tied my hands. They also got three others and tied their hands.

“The thugs who came with them threatened to kill me if I didn’t support Fayemi. All they are trying to do is to make the state ungovernable and force the FG to impose state of emergency in Ekiti because they know they have failed and cannot win the election.”

Also, speaking with newsmen, Omotosho in his address, said: “I called you to this very important press conference to bring to the public glare several attempts on my life by Dr. Kayode Fayemi using his thugs.
“These People planned to kill me on Thursday the 28th of June 2018 when they invaded my community, Oloje Ekiti with guns, amulets and charms on behalf of Dr. Kayode Fayemi and searched for me at all cost during their ongoing blood-laced political rallies.
“When they could not find me, their frustrations led to the total demolition of our party (PDP) Secretariat in Ayede South Itaji Ward 10 of Oye Local Government.
“Still unsatisfied, these thugs called in several armed mobile policemen tagged as “Fayemi policemen” which unleashed mayhem on my people with impunity, shooting sporadically at innocent citizens, destroying many houses, looting with physical assaults on three High Chiefs who dared to ask them questions.
As I speak to you, the trio of High Chiefs Ejimoko, Afin and Alameiku were arrested and locked up overnight at the police headquarters in Ado for no reason.

“These attempts on my life are not unconnected with my roles as the Chairman Ekiti-State House of Assembly Committee on Information saddled with the responsibility of speaking on behalf of the institution.
This constitutionally-recognised position brought me into civil disagreement with Dr. Fayemi on several issues ranging from his alleged mismanagement of the SUBEB funds in 2013 and other financial improprieties which led to his indictment by the Ekiti State Commission of enquiry that investigated his moribund tenure as Governor of Ekiti State.

“Rather than allow full intellectual debates necessary to stoke up intellectual capacity inherent in us for the overall benefits of our communities and having lost his constituency to me and my party, PDP in the last election based on his unpopularity and political grandstanding, Dr. Fayemi got very angry and went the way of an irredentist, using his agents to vandalize the whole of Ekiti state during his campaigns.
“These rapes on democracy came to a head yesterday from the attacks on my community leaving tales of woes, weeping and gnashing of teeth among the people he is struggling so hard to rule again having lost a golden opportunity gotten through the back door.

“I am using this opportunity to alert the whole country, my immediate medical colleagues and the International Agencies including the US and UK High Commissions that should anything happens to my life or my family, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi and his cohorts should be held responsible”, Omotosho said.

But reacting, Olujobi, said: ” I was in the same area Omotosho and the PDP members mentioned on Thursday but there was nothing like such attacks in the place.

“PDP is just cooking up lies to blackmail Fayemi. Do you know what they did this morning? They branded vehicles with APC logo and went into the market to beat and maim people there and they were shouting all about that APC is killing and maiming people all about.
All those atrocities have been performed by PDP thugs but they are turning around to blame it on APC. That is their stock in trade. We are very peaceful and Fayemi has no thugs that can hurt even a fly, not to tall of killing anybody”, he said. (Daily Sun)

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