There was tension yesterday at Omuo-Ekiti, Kota-Ekiti and
other communities in Ekiti East Local Government Area of Ekiti State, following
a bloody clash between supporters of Governor Ayo Fayose and those of Senate
Deputy Minority Whip Biodun Olujimi...
Scores of people were said to have been wounded at a meeting
of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in Kota-Ekiti on Sunday. It was
attended by members from both factions.
The House of Assembly member representing Ekiti East
Constituency II, Dare Pelemo, who is a loyalist of Fayose, was said to have
been among the wounded.
A source told our reporter yesterday that many of the
victims of the attack are receiving treatment at undisclosed hospitals in Omuo
and Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
Residents scampered to safety and stayed away until the dust
of the clash cleared.
Fayose and Olujimi are locked in a cold war over the
latter’s governorship ambition; the governor allegedly warned Olujimi to drop
her governorship ambition but the senator reportedly rebuffed the governor.
The crisis reached a crescendo two weeks ago when two House
of Assembly members – Michael Adeojo (Ekiti Southwest II) and Ojo Ade Fajana
(Ekiti East 1) – were investigated for their alleged loyalty and closeness to
Olujimi.
A source said the clash erupted over alleged plan to take
control of the meeting by one of the factions, which snowballed into physical
combat in which missiles were hurled on both sides.
Assembly member Pelemo, the source said, had his clothes
torn by Olujimi’s supporters, who mobilized to attack him for “attempting to
advance Fayose’s interest” at the meeting.
The source said: “The meeting ended in disarray as the team
loyal to Senator Olujimi and team loyal to Governor Fayose exchanged
fisticuffs.
“The House of Assembly member representing Ekiti East
Constituency II, Pelemo, was beaten up while other members of the team loyal to
Governor Fayose ran for their lives.”
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