By Friday Omosola, Akure
The Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly and House of Representative’s contender of the All Progressives Congress(APC), Honourable Bamidele Oleyelogun, has narrated how he fled been killed by political thugs who disrupted the primary exercise held last weekend.
Oloyelogun, who contested the primary with the incumbent federal lawmaker representing Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency, Mr Tajudeen Adefisoye, called for the revocation of the primary held at lgbara Oke last week Friday.
Oleyelogun, in Akure, narrated his experience to newsmen, saying the primary is inconclusive and there was need to conduct another election. He accused his opponent, Tajudeen Adefisoye, of bringing in lots of armed men both military and paramilitary in about 11 buses and in another three vehicles where men in suits with pistols were stationed. He said: “But at the gate of the venue of the primary in Igbara-Oke, the Police Area Commander refused to allow them to come in.
The matter was not resolved for about an hour before my agent and I could even get inside. Later, the armed thugs also gained entrance into the hotel (venue of the primary) and they positioned themselves in each of the rooms as well as the bar.
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“With the situation, I quickly alerted the returning officer, Festus Aregebsola, the Divisional Police Officer and the Area Commander that I’m not safe. I also told him that the people that came into the venue are not delegates. To the extent that they hid inside the toilets, meaning that they already have a motive.
Later, voting started, and when the voting got to the 35th person, my agent, Festus Adebobola, noticed that the delegates were about doing things that were not part of the process. While my agent was about to correct a female delegate, the agent of my opponent pounced on him and hit him, to the extent that he slumped.
“Despite the condition of my agent, they continued with the voting process without my presence or my agent. Is that a free and fair primary? When I was informed about the situation, I ran into the hall and shouted that the process must be stopped, and at a stage, they discontinued the process.
Immediately, the process was stopped, and thugs and the armed men surrounded the venue expecting me to come down. When I sensed that my life is already in danger, I called Mr Governor, Deputy Governor, and Commissioner of Police that I’m no longer safe. For four hours I could not come down, looking for how to escape.”
He stated that the thugs were sent away by policemen, alleging that some state leaders of the party ganged up against him to guarantee the victory of his opponent. Furthermore, he noted that he had reported to the party and called the state party Chairman but failed to pick up my calls.
“I called him about 19 times and he never returned my calls. I suspect a foul play from the party secretariat and the Chairman because he is from the same local government and town as my opponent, Adefisoye.”
He disclosed that he cannot leave the party because of the election, saying he remains APC to the core.
“Going to court depends on the directive of the leadership of the party who is the governor, he is the overall leader of the party in the state. If they say go, I will go, even if they say no, I will not go,” he said.
Reacting through his Special Adviser on Research & Documentation, Wale Adegoroye, Hon. Tajudeen Adefisoye refuted bringing thugs or disrupting the election. Adefisoye said nobody beat the speaker agent and denied that the election was inconclusive.
