Violence reportedly erupted on Saturday at Ward 1 of Stella Maris College, Okitipupa, as rival supporters of two All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirants clashed over the party’s candidate selection for the November 16 Ondo State Governorship election.
Naija News learnt that party members who had gathered early in significant numbers to participate in the candidate selection process fled the scene when the altercation between the rival supporters ensued.
Reports indicate that the accreditation and voting procedures had not commenced before the outbreak of violence, causing voters to run for safety.
A voter who chose to remain anonymous informed reporters that a representative of a candidate came to the polling station, took the validation and accreditation documents, and fled.
“One of the agents came here, snatched the validation and accreditation papers and fled the venue in his car.
“They chased him, but could not catch him. This caused the violence,” he said.
According to The Nation, the security agents at the ward were unable to contain the violence and everyone fled the scene.
Ondo 2024: Two APC Members Arrested Over Printing Of Fake Membership Cards
Meanwhile, the Ondo Police Command arrested two members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) earlier for printing fake membership cards ahead of Saturday’s governorship primary election.
Naija News reports that a statement by the state Police Command Spokesperson, Funmi Odunlami, in Akure, identified one of the suspects as Ariyo Ajiroba.
The statement read, “On Wednesday, 17th April 2024, the Police received an intel that one Ariyo, a transporter in Ondo town, was registering APC Party members at his residence ahead of the party primaries slated for 20th April 2024.
“Police personnel from Yaba Divisional Headquarters led by an Assistant Superintendent of Police visited the house and recovered the following items from the scene, APC party’s registration booklets, a list of names of purported party members of ward 7 Ondo, 53 passport photographs of different individuals, jotter containing with names, two exercise books with names and phone numbers of people and two slips of a registered form.
“Two suspects have been arrested and are assisting the Police with necessary information to apprehend others involved in this cynicism.
“The Commissioner of Police, Abayomi Oladipo, admonishes all political aspirants to caution their supporters whose acts can stir the hornet’s nest in the state.
“The CP also ordered a total clamp down on incendiaries no matter whose ox is gored, as the Command has spread its tentacles to all nooks and crannies of the State to ensure the safety of lives and property and peaceful conduct of the party primaries in the State.”
Recall that seven of the governorship aspirants have raised the alarm over the printing of fake membership cards.
Olusola Oke, Wale Akinterinwa, Diran Iyantan, Dayo Faduyile, Gbenga Edema, Jimi Odimayo, and Senator Jimoh Ibrahim are among the governorship aspirants.
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