Ondo APC primaries: Senator Adegbommire, others escape as gunmen disrupt exercise

The Senator representing Ondo Central Senatorial District, Adeniyi Adegbonmire, on Monday escaped death during the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary election in the state after armed political thugs invaded the voting centre, allegedly shot at the senator and disrupted the exercise.

The thugs stormed the venue of the primary election at Okilisa Ward 5 in Akure, allegedly shooting repeatedly at the senator’s vehicle and dispersing voters.

The development created panic among delegates, party officials, supporters and journalists, who scampered for safety, while some delegates, especially women, were injured during the melee.

Security operatives swiftly evacuated Adegbonmire from the venue as the situation degenerated, leading to a temporary disruption of the exercise.

Pupils of Ebenezer Primary School also scampered for safety while their parents rushed to the school to pick up their children following the sporadic shooting within the school premises.

Speaking on the development, Adegbonmire described the ongoing APC senatorial primary election in the state as a “complete charade”, alleging widespread intimidation, violence and disruption targeted at his supporters across the Central Senatorial District.

Adegbonmire said the armed thugs invaded the venue when it became obvious he was leading in the exercise and started shooting to scare away voters and delegates.

According to him, the voting process had commenced peacefully, with party members lining up behind their preferred aspirants before the disruption occurred.

“I went to my ward, Okilisa Ward 5 in Akure South, today for the APC Senate primary. They asked everybody to line up, and they started counting.

“My supporters were about 400, and there were three lines — mine in the middle, Taiwo Fashonote’s on the right and Adu’s on the left. They started counting my line first because it was the longest.

“But while they were counting the other line, and it became glaring that we were leading, thugs invaded the place, started shooting in the air and even shot at my car. I can show you the bullet marks. They were beating people and attempting to machete supporters. The whole process was disrupted.”

The senior lawyer alleged that similar incidents were reported in several wards across the senatorial district, claiming that his supporters were being prevented from participating in the exercise.

“I’m getting reports from everywhere — from Idanre, Akure North and different wards in Akure South — that the same thing is happening. They are telling people that if they are not voting for a particular aspirant, they should go back home. Thugs have been hired to intimidate voters,” he said.

Adegbonmire, however, said he does not believe Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa was directly involved, despite claims by some perpetrators that they were acting on the governor’s instructions.

“They are using the governor’s name to commit all sorts of atrocities. I don’t believe the governor has a hand in it, but that is what they are saying. I have sent a message to the governor detailing what I personally witnessed and the reports coming from across the district,” he stated.

He disclosed that although the governor had yet to respond to his message, he believed he would eventually do so.

The APC chieftain called on the national leadership of the party to urgently intervene, insisting that the integrity of the primary process had been compromised.

“As far as I’m concerned, what we are witnessing is not an election. When voters are intimidated, attacked and prevented from voting freely, then it is a charade. The national body of the party must step into this immediately.

“They know that if there is a free and fair election, I will defeat them convincingly. That is why they are preventing my supporters from voting.”

Adegbonmire further urged his supporters to remain peaceful despite the provocation, saying he had instructed them not to retaliate but to document all incidents occurring during the exercise.

He also linked the development to alleged irregularities recorded during last week’s House of Representatives primary elections in the state.

“The same thing happened during the House of Representatives primaries last week where voters were intimidated. Now we are witnessing it again in the Senate primaries. Clearly, this is becoming a pattern and something urgent has to be done.

“So I was there. Not that they told me. If not that I had security personnel with me, they also wanted to attack me.

“I am a law-abiding and peaceful person. I have told my supporters not to fight anybody but to record all instances of intimidation and violence happening across the senatorial district.

“How can we allow this? Some of you are there, so you know I’m speaking the truth. You witnessed what happened. It was disrupted, principally because I was beating the man blue and black.

“Now, we can’t declare a result there because they will say the counting didn’t finish, and nobody signed. And that’s what they are doing all over. So, for me, it is deliberate. And the purpose is clear.”

The incident has further heightened tension surrounding the APC National Assembly primaries in Ondo State amid growing concerns over violence and attempts to influence the outcome of the polls.