The All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members clashed in Ikire, Osun State, reportedly resulting in two deaths and numerous injuries.
Amidu Tadese, the APC senatorial candidate in the Osun West District, and Lere Oyewumi, his PDP opponent, were at the centre of the altercation that took place on Tuesday.
According to reports, both candidates scheduled their campaign rallies for Ikire on the same day.
When his own followers were set to begin their march, according to Mr. Tadese, Mr. Oyewumi directed a group of thugs to attack the crowd.
“Before the tragedy, our supporters had already set up a canopy and gathered in Ward 9, Ikire. “Shortly after someone provided the meeting’s opening prayers, we saw the hoodlums shooting erratically as we prepared to begin,” the man claimed.
They numbered over 30 and were headed by Akogun Lere Oyewumi, the PDP’s candidate for the Osun West Senate seat.
He said, “They started firing from the Naira and Kobo areas, and before we knew it, they were already at the venue, hitting people and damaging property, including our cars and commercial minibuses and tricycles.
However, Mr. Oyewumi said that two of his followers were attacked and killed by APC members.
He stated, “The APC thug attacked our members while they were returning from our gathering in the night, and they have already killed two individuals while others of our comrades are currently seeking treatment in a hospital.”
We were fleeing for our lives when they started attacking us.
State police spokesperson Yemisi Opalola verified the event.
One person was confirmed dead, according to Mrs. Opalola, and several others were receiving medical attention at the hospital.
The police intervened in a fight between the two parties yesterday, and we were able to resolve it amicably for both sides.
Later that evening, they engaged in another attack on each other, which resulted in the death of one person and the injury of others. “The injured have been transported to the medical centre,” she stated.
One of the injured patients, whom we questioned, said that only two of the five people who were carried to the hospital were seen this morning and that he was unaware of the location of the other three.
According to the police spokesperson, Ikire’s neighbourhood has returned to normal.
People are again carrying on with their businesses as normal in the region.
From 2010 until the PDP won the most recent governorship election in Osun State on July 16, the APC governed the state for 12 years.
Numerous incidents of political violence between the two parties have been documented since the election.
On Friday, the governorship election petition tribunal will rule on a complaint made by the APC challenging the declaration of Governor Ademola Adeleke as the election’s victor.
