Election petition: Jegede, Akeredolu in war of word over attack on party members

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, yesterday, engaged in verbal war over the shooting and attack of party members at the inaugural sitting of the Election Petition Tribunal in Akure.

Jegede had filed a petition against the electoral victory of Governor Akeredolu, who was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in the October 10 election.

At the inaugural sitting of the tribunal, the PDP accused the governor of mobilising thugs to the Tribunal venue to harass and attack its supporters and members.

It was gathered that thugs, suspected to be members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, stormed the venue of the tribunal.

A supporter of one of the parties was reportedly stabbed for gaining entrance into the Tribunal.

However, the PDP Publicity Secretary, Kennedy Peretei, in a statement, accused the governor of “mobilising a large number of thugs to the venue of Ondo Gubernatorial Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Akure, Ondo State.

Peretei said: “At the hearing on Tuesday, 8th December 2020, APC thugs, under the leadership of one Chemical, bombarded the venue, harassing, molesting, beating up and shooting sporadically into the air and attacking anyone perceived to be supporter of the PDP and its candidate, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, SAN.

“Mr. Sunday Oladunmoye is still receiving treatment from machete cuts he sustained from this group of thugs.

“They were parading the vicinity of the Court in a tinted Toyota Corolla car. Others were members of the Taxi Unit of National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, with instructions from their master, one Idajo, to cause pandemonium during the sitting.

“As early as 8.30 a.m, the Petitioners, Mr. Jegede and the PDP represented by its Chairman, Alhaji Fatai Adams led other PDP leaders to the Court.

“But shortly thereafter, the APC thugs caused panic and confusion within the arena. It took the combined efforts of the Army and Policemen to restore order.

“The PDP wishes to call on security agencies to live up to this fresh threat to law and order in the State. Resorting to violence will not deter the PDP and its candidate from pursuing this Petition to its conclusive end. Neither can this act of barbarism scare the Judges from the course of justice.”