one shot dead, 15 injured at Ondo APC congresses

DAYO JOHNSON AKURE —THE factional crisis rocking the All Progressive Congress, APC, Ondo State deepened yesterday as one Bosun Adegorola was shot dead and 15 others seriously injured during the ward congresses across the state. Sporadic gun shots rent the air across the state as factions of the party engaged themselves in supremacy battle for the party. No fewer than three persons have been arrested by the police for alleged breakdown of law and order in the state and detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department, CID. The deceased was shot on the head at Ajipowo area ward 2 Akure, the state capital when some members of another faction invaded the area and complained about the conduct of the primaries. An argument reportedly ensued as gunshots rent the air and the victim was shot on the head while several others were injured. Police spokesman, Wole Ogodo, who confirmed the death of the deceased and the arrest of the party members, said the deceased was shot on the head during a scuffle at the ward congress in Akure. This came as a faction of the party pulled out of congresses alleging marginalisation. Yesterday congresses across the state were allegedly marred with irregularities as party members engaged themselves in free- for- all while in some areas the exercise failed to hold as at 5pm. At Oshodi/Isolo ward 10 a member of the House representatives was accused of hijacking the party and forcefully installing one of his stooges as a member of the executive. Sporadic gunshot rent the air at Owode/imuagun ward 11 aborting the election there. The faction that pulled out include a member, Board of Trustees of the defunct All Nigerian Peoples’ Party, ANPP, Captain Demola Ariyo, and its state chairman, Yemisi Aladesaye, State Chairman of defunct Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Olalekan Obolo and its governorship candidate Soji Ehinlanwo. But reacting, interim State Secretary of the Party, Prince Olu Adegboro, described the faction as jokers, adding that no amount of sabotage from any quarters would halt the congresses in the wards from going on as scheduled.