By Khadija Muhammed
The Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has denied claims that he sent thugs to attack the secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akure.
On Tuesday, suspected hoodlums attacked Ade Adetimehin, the caretaker chairman of the APC in Ondo State, during a stakeholders’ meeting at the party’s secretariat. Adetimehin was reportedly beaten, and his phone was taken. The meeting was disrupted as party members ran for safety.
Witnesses said the attackers came with sticks and machetes, causing panic at the secretariat.
After the incident, Adetimehin accused members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), allegedly led by Ademola Odudu, of carrying out the attack on the governor’s orders.
However, Governor Aiyedatiwa denied the allegation. He said he was attending a 50th birthday celebration of a cabinet member at the time of the attack.
According to him, he received a call earlier that morning about the stakeholders’ meeting and approved it. But he asked that it be moved to 2 p.m. so he and other key stakeholders could attend after the birthday event.
The governor said most party leaders, including himself, were at the birthday ceremony when the violence happened. He added that the clash was caused by rival groups loyal to different aspirants ahead of the ward and local government congresses.
Aiyedatiwa insisted he had no role in the incident and described the meeting as an impromptu gathering linked to party activities.
