The Ondo State governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) nearly turned bloody on Saturday as men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) engaged in a supremacy battle, shooting sporadically in the process.
Aspirants, delegates, party chiefs and members ran helter-skelter for the duration of the shooting as pandemonium reigned supreme at the International Event Centre (The Dome), Akure, venue of the primaries.
The aspirants are Bukola Adetula, Prof Robert Ajayi Boroffice, Olusegun Abraham, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), Olusola Oke, Boye Oyewunmi, Mrs Jumoke Ajasin Anifowoshe, Senator Tayo Alasoadura, Boye Oyewumi, Bode Ayorinde, Olabimtan Victor and Paul Akintelure.
Others are Jamiu Ekungba, Ademola Adegoroye, Akinwale Akingbade, Apata Awodeyi, Akinrinsola Odunayo, Moyosola Niran Oladunni, Dr Tunji Abayomi, Niyi Adegbonmire, Foluso Adeyemi, Ayo Akinyelure, Akinola Olayinka and Tunji Light Ariyomi.
The crisis between the two security agencies started when two NSCDC men refused to salute two senior police officers.
A source close to the ‘theatre of war’ told Freedom Online: “Security agencies should learn to respect each other. What happened is so trivial that you won’t imagine security officials can descend to that level, threatening the peace and safety of others. The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr. Joshak Habila, and the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of of Zone II came to monitor the primaries to ensure that nothing goes wrong. All the policemen around stood to salute them but two civil defence (NSCDC officers) did not even bother to greet these two police officers.
“Because of this, the two civil defence (NSCDC officers) were immediately walked out by a senior female police officer. Obviously, this led to ‘bad blood’. We thought everything had been settled at that point.
“Later, the state NSCDC Commander, Mr. Adeyinka Fasiu, came to the venue to monitor the situation. When mobile policemen saw him, they stopped him from entering, apparently to retaliate.
“This did not go down well with NSCDC officers guarding Fasiu. So, they started shooting to clear the way for their boss. The policemen saw this as an affront and then, all hell broke loose. What happened was uncalled for. This type of supremacy battle is not good at all. You can see that many people inhaled tear gas”.
After some minutes, some senior police officers intervened to calm frayed nerves.
The delegates were later told to go back to voting.
But during the shooting, the ballot boxes were guarded by security agents.
Monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the election commenced at 12:15 p.m after the accreditation, which started at 7 a.m, ended.
About 3,000 delegates voted.
Chairman of the Election Committee, Governor Mohammed Abubakar of Jigawa State, urged the delegates to be orderly and stressed the need to end the process peacefully.
Meanwhile, Mr Taye Adeuti, on Saturday, emerged as governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) for the November 26 election.
Adeuti emerged with unanimous voice votes after the second aspirant, Mr Gbenga Ojo, withdrew his candidacy when both men were nominated as aspirants for the primary election.
Adeuti, 63, from Idanre Local Government Area, is an economist and marketer with a Masters degree in Business Administration.
In his acceptance speech, Adeuti thanked the party members and the chairman of Congress Committee for finding him worthy to carry the flag of the party in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.
“I will do my best, we all want to work for the development of our state, and I am very happy to lead this famous party; our goal is November 26.
“Ondo is an enlightened state with educated people, so the development of this state is my major project and we shall achieve it together,” he said.
Earlier, the State Chairman of LP, Mr Wale Gbakinro, said the primary election was being conducted in line with the article 28, sub-section 3 of the party’s constitution.
Gbakinro also said that the primary was conducted with INEC guidelines and directives.
He implored the two aspirants to accept the outcome of the primary as decided by the delegates and exhibit sportsmanship towards each other.
Addressing newsmen, Mrs Ladi Iliya, Chairperson, LP Primary Electoral Committee, urged the candidate to always include women and youths in his programmes as they form majority of the electorate.
Iliya, also the Deputy National Chairman of the party, said the doors are wide open for any member who defected and wanted to return to the party.
Also addressing newsmen, Mr Gbenga Ojo, said his decision to withdraw his candidacy was based on past experiences.
“I withdrew my candidacy after wide consultation within the party leadership.
“I also realised that since it is only two of us, it would be good if I stepped down for my co-aspirant in the interest of peace,” he said.
