Politics

Ekiti 2022: APC, SDP Trade Blame As Supporters Engage In Bloody Clash

Published

3 years ago

June 12, 2022

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), on Saturday, traded blames in Ekiti after a shootout at Itaji Ekiti.

The clash left at least one person dead and several others injured.

Both parties claimed they were at the receiving end of the attack.

The SDP said that thugs from the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), wearing APC vests and armed with automatic rifles, shot sporadically at their campaign venues in Itaji-Ekiti in Oye Local Government Area of the state, while Segun Oni was addressing the rally.

Mr Oni, a former governor of the state, is the candidate of the SDP.

Jackson Adebayo, the spokesperson of the Segun Oni campaign, organisation said three persons were shot during the attack and one of the attackers was arrested and handed over to the police.

But Taiwo Olatunbosun, the director of Media and Publicity of the Biodun Oyebanji Campaign Organisation, said the APC supporters were attacked by the SDP thugs, killing one Tope Ajayi and injuring several others.

According to Mr Olatunbosun, an unspecified number of other APC members are presently hospitalized where medical personnel are battling to save their lives following life-threatening injuries they received in the attack carried out SDP thugs.

He said one of the victims, Joshua John, who is presently at a critical condition at the State University Teaching Hospital, said he was tortured and shot in the leg in the presence of Mr Oni and Mr Daramola, a former lawmaker.

Mr Olatunbosun said the APC’s campaign procession in Ekiti North senatorial district was peaceful earlier in the day until it was disrupted by SDP thugs under the command of Mr Daramola at Itaji-Ekiti. He said the attack was carried out in broad daylight.

He noted that the attack on Mr Ajayi was carried out by violent thugs who arrived in one Toyota Hilux and Tacoma vehicles.

He alleged that the SDP thugs shot at many vehicles in its campaign procession including the one belonging to the Special Adviser on Roads, Sunday Adunmo.

“It is very disturbing that Daramola was seen by eyewitnesses personally leading thugs parading as security officials, and instructed them to shoot directly at our members in Itaji-Ekiti,” said Mr Olatunbosun.

“He and others culpable of the breach of peace are to be held accountable.

“The death in Itaji-Ekiti is an addition to the statistics of politically-motivated fatalities allegedly traced to Oni in his desperation for power.

“It is tragic that within one week of Daramola decamping to the SDP, we have recorded a spate of violence including an attack on our campaign rally at Oke Ayedun on Friday, and now the brutal killing of our member today, and the maiming of many others who are now battling for their lives in the hospital.

“I assure all our peace-loving members and the good people of Ekiti State that despite the scheming of Bimbo Daramola and his newfound desperate cohorts in the SDP, the June 18 governorship election would be peaceful and the APC would be victorious.”

He said the Oyebanji Campaign wants the police to invite Mr Daramola and other SDP leaders to state all they know about the attack for justice to be done to the deceased and the injured and prevent a reoccurrence in days ahead.

He also said the Oyebanji Campaign was in possession of intelligence that hundreds of thugs and youths had been armed with guns and other dangerous weapons across the state to cause mayhem at the instance of Mr Oni, whom he accused of being desperate for power.

In its statement, the SDP said the APC thugs were allegedly sent by Rotimi Olanbiwoninu, a-k-a Mentilo, the Ekiti State Chairman of RTEAN, to disrupt the SDP Itaji campaign by shooting at its supporters.

Mr Adebayo noted that it took the mobile police and some soldiers on patrol about 30 minutes to bring the situation under control.

“The unlucky thug confessed that they were sent by Mentilo and that he (Mentilo) was working for the Biodun Oyebamiji Campaign Organisation,” said Mr Adebayo.

At Oye, said Mr Adebayo, “the RTEAN drivers allegedly shot three members of the SDP who were waiting for the arrival of Oni who was due to address party supporters in the town.”

He, however, said in spite of the violence at Itaji and Oye, the people trooped out enmass to welcome Mr Oni, promising to vote for him. He said the APC thugs could not intimidate or prevent them from coming out to vote on the election day.

He said the injured SDP members were taken to the hospital while the matter was reported to the Commissioner of Police.

Sunday Abutu, the spokesperson of the police in Ekiti State, told PREMIUM TIMES that the situation had been brought under control and that investigations were ongoing to determine the facts of the incident.

Politics

Court Stops 2025 PDP National Convention

Published

8 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday halted the planned 2025 National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) until the party complied with the statutory requirements of the party, the Constitution and the Electoral Act.

The suit was filed by three aggrieved members of the party namely, Hon Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman), Hon Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman) and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South) seeking to stop the convention on the ground of violation to the Electoral law.

Delivering the judgment, the Judge also restrained INEC from accepting report on the outcome of any national convention of the party without following the due process of the law as well as its guidelines and regulations.

The Judge held that INEC is not entitled to give effect to the convention a party not done in accordance with the Constitution, Electoral Act and the guidelines/regulations of political parties.

The plaintiffs instituted the suit seeking to stop the planned November 15 and 16, 2025 National Convention of the PDP scheduled for Ibadan in Oyo State where new National Officers are expected to be elected on the ground of breach of the party’s Constitution.

The nine defendants are, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); PDP; Samuel Anyanwu, National Secretary of the party; Umar Bature, National Organizing Secretary of the party; National Working Committee (NWC); and National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party; Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum; Ali Odefa; and Emmanuel Ogidi.

Politics

2027: Why Jonathan Can’t Run For President – Appeal Court Ex-President

Published

8 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

Former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, has clarified why former President Goodluck Jonathan cannot contest the 2027 presidential election.

According to Salami, the Nigerian Constitution explicitly bars any individual from holding the office of President for more than eight years, making Jonathan ineligible to run again.

He explained that Jonathan had already completed the tenure of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua before serving his own full term, which constitutionally disqualifies him from seeking another.

In an opinion piece, Salami argued that any attempt by Jonathan to contest and win in 2027 would amount to a violation of the law, stressing that such a victory would be nullified by the courts.

“It is painstakingly and dispassionately demonstrated that the ambition of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to contest for the office of the president in the 2027 general election is effectively and undoubtedly shot down,” Salami stated.

Politics

PDP Reacts To Court Ruling On Planned Convention

Published

8 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) made a formal reaction on Friday to the judgment of the Abuja High Court, which stopped its planned November 15 Ibadan National Elective Convention, saying that the judgment didn’t affect its preparations for the event.

While describing the action of the court as “an assault on Nigeria’s democratic process”, the party called on its members to remain focused on going to Ibadan for the convention.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is appalled by the judgement of the Federal High Court Abuja, presided over by Honorable Justice Kolawole Omotosho today, describing it as an assault on Nigeria’s democratic process.

“However, the PDP states that the judgment of the court does not vitiate its ability to proceed with the processes and activities towards the National Convention to elect new National Officers to pilot the affairs of the Party for the next four years”, the National Publicity Secretary, Honourable Debo Ologunagba, said in a reaction to the judgment.

The party referenced the April 4 judgment of the Supreme Court, which empowered political parties to regulate its internal affairs, noting that the party would go ahead to host the convention.

However, Ologunagba clarified that as a law-abiding organisation, the PDP had also directed its lawyers to appeal the judgment.

The stated further, “Our Party notes the recent judgement of the Supreme Court which affirms the supremacy of a political party in the management of its internal affairs.

“The PDP therefore charges its members, Chapter and Organs to remain steadfast and focused on preparations towards the holding of the National Convention of our Party.

“Nevertheless, the PDP as the leading opposition Party in Nigeria committed to the Rule of Law has accordingly directed its lawyers to take immediate action to appeal this judgment in our unwavering determination to uphold, defend and promote multi-party democracy in our country.”

Three aggrieved members of the party namely, Honourable Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman); Honourable Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman); and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South), had dragged the PDP to court, asking to to stop the convention on the grounds of violation of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act, 2022 and the PDP’s constitution.

Specifically, they had cited alleged exclusion of some key stakeholders from the preparations for the convention among other concerns.