Rented driver thugs shoot six SDP members at Segun Oni’s rally
…As communities vow to vote SDP candidate
More facts have been emerged on the clash in Ekiti State as the Social Democratic Party, SDP, said rented thugs who are members of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) wearing the All Progressives Congress (APC) vests were responsible for the unprovoked clash.
The SDP said the clash, which led to shooting of six of their members, started when these APC thugs stormed the campaign rally of Engineer Segun Oni, the SDP governorship candidate, at Itaji Ekiti and Oye Ekiti all in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State, shooting sporadically.
A press statement issued by Mr Jackson Adebayo, the Director of Media and Publicity of Segun Oni Campaign Organisation (SOCO) and made available to the journalists in Ado Ekiti on Saturday, said the thugs were loaded in five buses belonging to the APC.
The statement said the thugs allegedly sent by Mr Rotimi Olanbiwoninu a-k-a Mentilo, the Ekiti State Chairman of RTEAN, were bent on causing violence and shooting the SDP governorship candidate, Asiwaju Segun Oni, who was arriving at the venue to address SDP members and supporters at Itaji town.
According to Adebayo, six SDP members were shot and terribly wounded during the incident.
He said, however, luck ran out for one of the RTEAN thugs who missed the bus and was arrested by party supporters who handed him over to the police.
The SOCO Spokesman said it took the mobile police and some soldiers on patrol about 30 minutes to bring the situation under control.
The unlucky thug, however, confessed that they were sent by Mentilo and that he (Mentilo) was working for the Biodun Oyebamiji Campaign Organisation, Adebayo said.
He also said the RTEAN drivers allegedly shot six members of the SDP who were waiting for the arrival of Oni who was due to address party supporters in the town.
He said, however, the thugs entered their buses and fled on seeing the mobile policemen that were part of the campaign convoy of the SDP and the soldiers that were on patrol.
Adebayo said notwithstanding the violence caused by the thugs, the people of Itaji and Oye trooped out enmass to welcome Engineer.
The people of both communities promised to vote for the SDP governorship candidate, insisting that the APC thugs cannot intimidate or prevent them from voting on the election day.
Eminent stakeholders in the communities recalled the good works of the SDP governorship candidate when he was in the state’s chief executive, adding that Engineer should be rest assured that nothing can change their support and love for him.
The injured SDP members have been taken to the hospital, while the matter was reported to the state Commissioner of Police.