Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the October 10, 2020 gubernatorial election in Ondo State, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede on Wednesday disclosed that he escaped an assassination attempt by thugs at Oba-Akoko in Akoko South-West Local Government Area of the state.
He disclosed this at his campaign office in Akure, the state capital, while briefing newsmen on the incidence of attacks on his entourage while on campaign tour in the Northern Senatorial District of the state.
The PDP standard bearer disclosed that he was at the palace of Oloba of Oba-Akoko with members of PDP who were in his entourage when some armed thugs in the entourage of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu shot at the vehicles of PDP parked in the town.
Jegede said: “There was assassination attempt on my life and lives of people in my entourage.
“Today, 16th of September, 2020, upon permission and approval of the Police, we went on our normal campaign tour, very peaceful one. We were at Oba-Akoko, in the palace of the Oloba of Oba-Akoko when the governor passed by with a convoy of APC thugs all armed with pump action guns.
“They are on video following the leadership of APC. They saw us at the palace of Oloba and they shot at us. They fired shots at our women, they fired shots at our men, shot at our vehicles.
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“They aimed at the petrol tanks of all our vehicles there. We went with all these vehicles to report to the Commissioner of Police (CP) the lawless incidence of an attempt to kill. We want to make him register this.
“We are not afraid but we do not want anybody’s blood shed on the account of this race. Unfortunately, I have never seen this kind of desperation in all my life.
“We are on peaceful campaign today and they armed themselves from the first person to the last person with guns, shooting at our people. The Commissioner of Police has seen the evidence. Over 16 vehicles were destroyed.
“Thank God we were not in the vehicles because we were right in the Oba’s palace. But it will get to a point we will call our people to defend themselves. We do not want any blood to be shed.
“I met the Commissioner of Police to lodge the incidents. We have a schedule approved by Police and DSS. No other political party is expected to be in Akoko when we were there.
“Suddenly, we heard the gunshots directed at all of us within the precinct of Oloba’s place.
“With the governor leading the entourage, he opened his vehicle. And the hoodlums in his entourage were shooting at our vehicles.
“I called CP and complained to him and the Director of DSS. It’s an attempt on human life.
“If anything happens to me, I am calling on the people of the state who to hold responsible.
A former Attorney General of the State recently said: “I had not seen anything. He said they were coming with AK-47. This is a collective view of APC. We are not prone to take guns, alcohol. We are not desperate. It is imperative to defend ourselves.
“We are calling on the Inspector General of Police and all security agencies that this should be investigated and culprits should be brought into book.
“On 9th of September, political thugs killed ZLP member in Idanre and nobody has been arrested.”
Jegede disclosed that he called the governor and informed him about the incidents to which he said the governor expressed shock.
He said: “He (governor) said he didn’t know because he was ahead of them. He said he would call his boys to order. He expressed shock about what happened.”
However, the PDP candidate urged the people of the state not to be intimidated, saying PDP is focused and that the will of the people would prevail.
“This is to fmally inform our people that we are focused and they should not be afraid. They want to intimidate our people not to come out to vote on election date.
“They are doing this in order to remain in power. The people’s will shall prevail. We will defend ourselves.
“We were to be at Aiyegunle after Oba-Akoko, we saw the arms they were carrying, we decided to suspend the campaign to avoid violence. My prayer is that they would turn this state into blood streams.”
