Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose has reacted to Friday’s shooting that characterised the homecoming of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the July 14 gubernatorial election in the state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
A former member of the House of Representatives, Opeyemi Bamidele, and others were shot at the party’s secretariat during a reception organised for Fayemi.
The APC gave the names of the others as “Olabode Joshua, Olanrewaju Gbenga, Adebayo Ogunjemilehin, Ogunmodede Oluwole and Alex Adeleye”.
The party said the victims were in hospital.
Reacting to the shooting, Fayose said Fayemi’s “desperation” was the cause of the “challenges” he has allegedly been having.
Taking to his verified Twitter page, Fayose said, “Fayemi is having in all these challenges because of his desperation. It is instructive that there was chaos at the APC primary election and his return to Ekiti today brought bloodshed to a once peaceful Ekiti State.Those whom the gods want to destroy, they first make mad.
“I sympathize with victims of today’s shootings by armed policemen that Fayemi and his APC invaded our State with and I have directed adequate treatment of the injured ones that are receiving treatment at the State University Teaching Hospital.”
Fayemi is having in all these challenges because of his desperation. It is instructive that there was chaos at the APC primary election and his return to Ekiti today brought bloodshed to a once peaceful Ekiti State.Those whom the gods want to destroy, they first make mad.
— Peter Ayodele Fayose (@GovAyoFayose) June 1, 2018
I sympathize with victims of today's shootings by armed policemen that Fayemi and his APC invaded our State with and I have directed adequate treatment of the injured ones that are receiving treatment at the State University Teaching Hospital.
— Peter Ayodele Fayose (@GovAyoFayose) June 1, 2018
However, the APC has accused the state government of masterminding the attack on the party’s supporters in a failed attempt to assassinate its gubernatorial candidate.
The Publicity Secretary of Ekiti APC, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said, “It was a smooth ride from Akure Airport to Ikere-Ekiti where thousands of supporters came out to give him a rousing welcome,” the statement read.
“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 suspected to be agents of the state government who strategically positioned themselves at the party’s secretariat in Ado-Ekiti for the attack.
“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.”
The party said one of the shooters who was decked in a mobile police uniform had been arrested and was assisting the police in their investigations.