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

BREAKING: Nigerian Senate Approves Tinubu’s N1.15tn Loan Request

Published

1 day ago

November 12, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Senate has approved the request of President Bola Tinubu to raise N1.15 trillion from the domestic debt market to cover the unfunded portion of the 2025 budget deficit.

This comes after the adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debt during plenary on Wednesday.

According to the committee, the 2025 Appropriation Act provides for a total expenditure of N59.99 trillion, representing an increase of N5.25 trillion over the N54.74 trillion initially proposed by the Executive.

The expansion created a total budget deficit of N14.10 trillion. Of this, N12.95 trillion had already been approved for borrowing, leaving an unfunded deficit of approximately N1.15 trillion (N1,147,462,863,321).

In a related development, a motion by Senator Abdul Ningi was adopted, directing the Senate Committee on Appropriations to intensify its oversight to ensure that the borrowed funds are properly implemented in the 2025 fiscal year and used strictly for their intended purposes.

Recall that President Tinubu had on November 4th requested the approval of the National Assembly for a fresh N1.15 trillion borrowing from the domestic debt market to help finance the deficit in the 2025 budget.

The President’s request was conveyed in a letter. According to the letter, the proposed borrowing is intended to bridge the funding gap and ensure full implementation of government programs and projects under the 2025 fiscal plan.

Politics

Agege LG Chairman Resigns

Published

1 week ago

November 5, 2025

Editor

Agege Local Government
Mr. Tunde Azeez Disco has stepped down as the Executive Chairman of Agege Local Government, citing persistent health challenges as the reason for his resignation.

The former chairman submitted his resignation letter to the Agege Local Government Legislative Arm.

He noted that his health status had significantly impacted his ability to effectively discharge his official duties.

The legislative house, while acknowledging Azeez Disco’s dedication to public service, quickly accepted the decision. Following a thorough deliberation, a unanimous resolution was passed, accepting the resignation with immediate effect.

The council wished the outgoing chairman well in his future endeavours, with the event underlining the necessity for public officials to prioritise personal health and well-being.

Ganiyu Obasa, son of the Speaker, Lagos State Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, is the Vice chairman of Agege Local Government.

In May, residents of Agege, under the banner of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the local government election in Agege.

They claimed that Obasa allegedly plans to foist his surrogates as candidates in the local government and councillorship elections.

In a meeting held in response to the announcement of candidates for the chairmanship and vice-chairmanship of the Agege Local Government and Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA), the aggrieved residents alleged that those shortlisted as candidates to represent the area were handpicked by Obasa.

They said the process was void of internal democracy and collective participation.

Addressing the media, Kamardeen Sabitu, chairman of the PCC for Agege and Orile-Agege, alleged that Obasa did everything possible to manipulate the political structure in the area for personal gain.

During the protest, demonstrators carried placards reading “Red Card, Obasa O to ge, (it is enough). They also chanted songs such as “Enough is Enough, this suffering is enough, Tinubu, rescue us.”

Politics

JUST IN: Reps In Rowdy Session, Reject Key Motions

Published

1 week ago

November 4, 2025

Editor

The plenary session of the House of Representatives on Tuesday turned rowdy after members voted against some motions of urgent public importance, which bordered on the protection of lives and key government assets.

With the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, presiding, the session became rowdy, as members dissolved into a closed-door session to restore order.

It all started when the member representing Somolu Federal Constituency, Lagos State, Ademorin Kuye, drew the attention of his colleagues to what he called the illegal allocation of lands within the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex and prayed the House to refer the matter to the Committee on Public Assets for investigation.

Kuye, a member of the All Progressives Congress is the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Assets.

Proposing an amendment to the prayers, Delta lawmaker and Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Francis Waive, argued that though the matter brought before the Green Chamber is urgent enough, the Committee on Commerce, not Public Assets, should be in charge of the investigation.

Waive was supported by Akwa Ibom lawmaker, Mark Esset, who argued that “It is the Committee on Commerce that should take responsibility on this matter.”

On the other hand, Yusuf Gagdi representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, Plateau State, supported Kuye, stating that the Public Assets Committee should be allowed to take charge of investigating the allegation of illegal land sale and submit a report to the House.

With no end to the back-and-forth argument in sight, Gbefwi Gaza (SDP, Nasarawa) on the advice of Kalu, proposed the constitution of an Ad-hoc Committee comprising members of both Committees (Public Assets and Commerce) to conduct the probe.

When subjected to a voice vote, almost an equal number of lawmakers voted in support and against the motion.

Not sure whose voices were louder, Kalu gave it to the nays, sparking unrest in the chamber.

Next on the order of urgent motions was Mohammed Bio representing Baruten/Kaima Federal Constituency, Kwara State.

Bio who lamented the worsening security situation in his constituency, prayed the House to urge the military to establish a base in the crisis-prone areas to stem the tides of attacks.

This time, more lawmakers voted against the motion, to the surprise of Kalu and the Kwara lawmaker.

It became clear to Kalu that members had resolved to frustrate the day’s session owing to the rejection of Kuye’s motion.

So, when again voices thundered against Ayodeji Alao-Akala’s motion which drew members’ attention to the need to address Nigeria’s description as a “Country of Particular Concern” by the United States President, Mr Donald Trump; Kalu allowed the motion to pass, forcing members to openly oppose the decision.

Voices of dissent rent the chambers and the plenary was suspended for a closed-door session.

…Details later