APC committee on restructuring: Thugs beat Bola Ilori, tear his cloth •It’s not true —Ondo govt

Pandemonium broke out on Thursday in Akure, Ondo state capital, at the venue of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Committee on true federalism and restructuring, as the Osun state Commissioner for Regional Integration, Mr Bola Ilori, was molested and beaten by suspected thugs at the venue of the event.

The development led to an abrupt closure of the session of the Rachael Akpabio led Committee while participants hurriedly left the venue of the event for safety as suspected thugs engaged in free for all fight.

Ilori, who had earlier presented the Osun’s position on federalism and restructuring left the venue of the event to speak with newsmen when some suspected thugs descended on him, tearing his clothes.

Ilori aides made attempts to help him as the thugs struggled to remove his Jean trouser, after tearing his shirt and underwear. The suspected thugs said Ilori should be whisked out of the venue because he is not a member of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

He was rushed back to the venue of the programme almost naked and one of the boys around from Ondo state offered his shirt to Ilori, while the programme was halted by delegates from Osun state.

Bola Ilori accused the Ondo state Secretary to the State Government, (SSG) Hon Ifedayo Abegunde, of being behind his ordeal.
The state deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi however tried to douse the tension.

Ilori traced the genesis of the crisis to the last governorship election in the state which produced Rotimi Akeredolu as the governor. During the election Olori noted that he worked for another candidate and said” I don’t know what called for this attack. I was on my way out after Osun presentation at the venue of the event when some boys loyal to “Abena” (Abegunde) descended on me. I am sure they are his boys and I am very sure of this fact.”

Ilori however added that the fight is not all about the 2016 governorship election but about coming elections in the state, saying, “they are all scared of me coming for the senatorial seat in the next election and they are not comfortable with my political popularity.”

It however took the effort of the head of Osun delegates to the event, Mr Adedeji Gbadegesin, to douse the tension while the delegates from the state left the venue of the event.

Denying Ilori’s allegation, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Yemi Olowolabi, noted that Ilori and the Osun state delegates came to the venue of the event, prepared to cause trouble.

Olowolabi expressed surprise at the development saying the event had been peaceful before the attack on Ilori but said the ugly incident was avoidable as the whole event was an APC event.

Olowolabi said “what happened is sad but it is avoidable. it is apparent the Osun delegates came prepared with thugs, charms, ammunition, cudgels to an event which was supposed to be an all APC event.

“It is clear that they are here to forment trouble and if there was any retaliation there would have been casualties. We kept our calm even in the face of unwarranted provocation

“Bola Ilori practically seized the microphone during the event. He was not the head of delegates from Osun. I will advise him to eschew culture of violence and give peace a chance.

Olowolabi however commended the leadership of the APC in the state, the Deputy governor, SSG and the Acting Party Chairman, who prevailed on party members not to retaliate “even when they were randomly attacked by Bola Ilori’s men.

He said “in Ondo APC under Rotimi Akeredolu, peace is our watchword and we go to any length to ensure peace.”