By Adeniyi Adedoyin
The Ogun State government and the People's Democratic Party PDP governorship candidate in the 2023 elections, Hon. Ladi Adebutu on Sunday trade words over the alleged attack on the Vice Chairmanship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), during the just concluded LG election in the State.
A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Dapo Abiodun, Lekan Adeniran, some illegal policemen assembled by Adebutu opened fire on the vice chairmanship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ikenne Local Government, Hon. Muhammed Olaitan Efuwape, and one voter named, Biola.
He said, Efuwape escaped death by the whiskers with injuries, but Biola wasn’t so lucky as the gunshots shattered his legs, and he was rushed to a nearby hospital where he is receiving medical attention. It was learned that Adebutu illegally brought in over 40 policemen from MOPOL 49 in Lagos, with PDP thugs riding on Okadas, going around and trying to snatch ballot boxes while brandishing guns and other weapons in Ikenne Local Government in their desperate attempt to scuttle the electoral process.
He noted that "Ladi Adebutu's personal assistant, one Gafar Asaolu, in the company of the illegal policemen, was going from one polling unit to another harassing innocent voters and led the illegal policemen to carry out the assassination attempt on Efuwape at his polling booth".
"Upon arrival at the polling booth, they opened fire, wounding both the Vice Chairman and Biola. However, other voters, enraged by the shooting, apprehended one of the policemen, disarmed him, and confirmed he was from MOPOL 49 in Lagos".
"The rest of the policemen were chased by law enforcement agents and curiously made their way to Ladi Adebutu’s home, where they took refuge".
"It was learned that in the course of trying to apprehend the policemen, they opened fire on law enforcement officers, particularly the men of the Department of State Services (DSS), whose vehicles were damaged by a hail of bullets".
"A security source said that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, was notified of the development, and he immediately instructed the Ogun State Police Commissioner, CP Abiodun Alamutu, to assemble men of MOPOL 16 and MOPOL 71 to proceed to their hideout and arrest the illegal policemen".
"While some of them escaped by scaling the fence, others were arrested and taken into custody in the Ogun State Police Command, Eleweran, Abeokuta".
“The mobile policemen were said to have opened fire on the DSS operatives, and upon learning of the development, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Kayode Egbetokun was said to have given orders to a contingent from MOPOL 16 and MOPOL 71 to effect the arrest of everyone within the house," a source said.
Reacting to the development, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, through his media aide, Afolabi Orekoya alleged that it was the APC thugs that attacked one of the Adebutu's sons on his way home.
Our attention has been drawn to the lies from the pit of hell propelled by the State government to cover the intimidation and oppression of the people of Ogun East and Ogun State in general during the 16 November Local Government Elections in the state.
According to Afolabi, "the Ogun State governor has consistently promoted thuggery and violence in Ogun East and Ogun State in general.
He added that "against the white lies of the State government, there were thugs attacking all PDP members and supporters across all Local Governments in Ogun East all because the ruling party has no acceptability in the area.
The statement reads, "while we are collating all the evil acts and serious calculated attacks perpetrated by the APC and their hired thugs, it is very necessary that we provide the public with the real fact of what happened at the residence of the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu against their untrue story".
"On the issue, Hon. Adebutu’s son was attacked by a group of thugs in the neighborhood very close to Adebutu's house, not at a polling unit on his way to the house, while the thugs began to shoot in their usual free day manner, they shot one of the policemen attached to Hon. Adebutu still around his house and not at any polling unit as claimed by the government. The shot policeman was quickly rescued and taken to the hospital".
"The thugs and their paymaster including the Governor’s security operatives were all working hand in hand and they stormed at Hon. Adebutu’s house claiming it was on the instruction of the Inspector General who had been fed with wrong account of the incidence".
"After about forty minutes, troupes of armed Policemen with armored tanks and trucks numbering over a hundred stormed Hon. Adebutu's house to arrest Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, but he requested for his arrest warrant and they could not produce any. They left his house after about one hour of holding him hostage".
"It is evident to all and even all the journalists on ground covering the election process that what happened yesterday was not an election but intimidation and oppression of the people. Apart from the fact that ballot boxes were not brought to most polling units, they employed and commissioned thousands of thugs who started attacking the people. All PDP Collation agents in Ogun East were beaten mercilessly, attacked with machetes and some shot".
"The governor embarked on this because of the fact that he lost woefully in Ogun East in the last election and decided to create fear in the people so that they will not come out to vote against his party again".
"Their lies can only make meaning to the fool; soon now or later, the truth will prevail".
"We are resolute to resist every form of oppression and intimidation within the armpit of the law of our country. We are appealing to the various agencies particularly the security agencies to uphold the truth and not to allow them to be used as a tool of oppression and intimidation of the people".
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