THERE were claims in Ado Ekiti, on Monday, that members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) engaged in a free for all in Kota community in Ekiti East Local Government Area of the state on Sunday.
The claims by sources was that several persons were injured in the Sunday evening clash, which was reportedly between loyalists of Senator Biodun Olujimi and Governor Ayodele Fayose.
Senator Olujimi, representing Ekiti South district in the Senate, is said to be having issues with Governor Fayose, a development which the sources claim has affected the harmonious relationship among the party loyalists and divided them along the lines of the two leaders.
The clash allegedly took place in Kota-Ekiti in Ekiti East Local Government area of the state during the meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the council.
A source said the two personalities in the party had come to the meeting with a view to proving their loyalty to their respective leaders, a development which degenerated into a fight.
According to the source, the lawmaker representing Ekiti East constituency II and a known Fayose’s ally, Dare Pelemo, was said to have been beaten and his dresses torn, allegedly by Olujimi’s angry supporters.
The source said: “The meeting ended in disarray as the team loyal to Senator Olujimi and that loyal to Governor Fayose exchanged in fisticuffs.
“The house of assembly member representing Ekiti East Constituency 1 was beaten while other members of the team loyal to Governor Fayose ran from the meeting.”
When contacted, Pelemo said Olujimi’s group actually attacked him but said he was never beaten to stupor as being rumoured.
He said: “Yes, they attacked our members at the meeting just because they wanted to show supremacy they didn’t have.
“We have enough followers on ground who could deal with them, but we decided not to do so. Governor Fayose is a popular politician with wide followership, so these few people couldn’t have overpowered us as they claimed in social media.”
However, when contacted on the telephone, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Mr Alberto Adeyemi, said he was not aware of such fight as, according to him, “there’s no such report brough to my notice.”
Adeyemi added that the District Police Officer (DPO) in Omuo did not report any such incident to the police headquarters.
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