The All Progressive Congress, APC, has accused Mr. Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State masterminding the shooting of six persons including former member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, at the reception for the party’s candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, ahead of the state’s July 14 governorship election, a charge, the governor has denounced.
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Bamidele and the others, namely Olabode Joshua, Olanrewaju Gbenga, Adebayo Ogunjemilehin, Ogunmodede Oluwole and Alex Adeleye, were shot by a policeman during the reception held at APC secretariat in Ajilosun, Ado Ekiti, with one of them feared dead.
The incident has triggered controversy as both APC and the Peoples Democracy Party, PDP, traded insults and engaged in mutually bitter recriminations. The former in a statement it released through its spokesman in the state, Taiwo Olatunbosun, accused Fayose of masterminding the shooting, claiming the governor’s target was Fayemi, who is contesting against his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, the PDP’s candidate.
The statement reads: “Bloody politicking returned to Ekiti State yesterday, as former Governor Kayode Fayemi survived assassination in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital.
“Fayemi resigned his appointment on Wednesday as the Minister of Mines and Steel Development and was returning to Ekiti State on Friday in a welcome party planned by his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“It was a smooth ride from Akure Airport to Ikere-Ekiti, where thousands of supporters came out to give him a rousing welcome.
“Ikere-Ekiti journey to Ado-Ekiti, a distance of about nine kilometres, lasted two hours in a heavy traffic that was punctuated by four gunmen who strategically positioned themselves at the party’s secretariat in Ado-Ekiti for the attack.
“One of the assailants dressed in mobile police uniform was apprehended and he is now helping the police in their investigation.
“They fired gunshots aimed at Fayemi but hit a former lawmaker, Opeyemi Bamidele, after the former minister had taken a few steps forward before the bullets hit the target.
“Bamidele and other victims were immediately rushed to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, where doctors are responding to his treatment.”
However, Fayose has denied having any hand in the incident, claiming it was self-induced and adding that the bullet that hit Bamidele and other victims was fired by one of the armed mobile policemen, who accompanied Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State to the reception.
