Ondo APC Political Conflict Leads to Violence and Deaths

A political cold war within the Ondo State APC intensified during a ward congress on Wednesday, leading to a violent clash that resulted in the deaths of two individuals and injuries to five others. The conflict is linked to a power struggle between Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

The violence erupted at the APC's ward congress held at the Odod Idanr headquarters in Idanr Local Government Area. This unrest followed a previous disruption at the party's state secretariat in Akure, where alleged hoodlums attacked party leaders, including Raphael Adetimehin, the state APC caretaker chairman.

Eyewitnesses reported that Adetimehin's brother was mistakenly attacked, and a vehicle was set ablaze. Former Commissioner for Water Resources, Yetunde Adeyanju, publicly invoked the governor's name, suggesting his involvement in the violence.

Despite these events, both Aiyedatiwa and Tunji-Ojo's camps deny any rift, although tensions remain high within the party, as noted by political analysts.