Political thugs have attacked a campaign train of an aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Idanre, Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The thugs, who reportedly ambushed the aspirant to the Ondo State House of Assembly, Tosin Ogunlowo, allegedly attacked with matchets and guns, injuring many of his supporters.
The campaign train was said to be returning from the party APC secretariat in Akure, when the incident happened.
An eyewitness account revealed that the thugs attacked the politicians in their 4-vehicle convoy at Italorun village along the Idanre-Akure Road.
The source said:“The aspirant was returning from Akure to Idanre, where she went to submit her nomination form with her supporters. So, along the road, the thugs came out and attacked them with guns, cutlasses and broken bottles and they inflicted injuries on her supporters. They also vandalised the vehicles in the convoy.
“Though the aspirant escaped unhurt, her injured supporters were rushed to the hospital for treatment.
A supporter in one of the attacked vehicles, Gbodi Bamidele, who is also the leader of the Idanre LGA Legislative Council, said the attack was sponsored.
He said: “When we got to Oja Anaye, one of the thugs called Prof. came with others to attack us. They came with guns, bottles of beer and cutlasses. Our members were seriously injured.”
Meanwhile, spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, Mrs. Funmilayo Odunlami, who confirmed the incident, have a different account.
Speaking with journalists, she said it was a fight between supporters of two political aspirants in the area.
According to her: “There was an altercation between supporters of two aspirants in the area, and it led to a shootout; the police from the Idanre division were able to maintain peace, while the victims were taken to a hospital.”
