Loyalists of the immediate past Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his successor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola once again locked horns on Saturday morning during the Local Government Congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State.
It was gathered that while a parallel congress was held in Osogbo Local Government, suspected political thugs attacked some members of the party in Ede.
Members of the APC who belong to The Osun Progressives (TOP) caucus of the party held their congress at Comrade Ola-Oni Centre, Aregbe Area, Osogbo, while those who belong to the IleriOluwa group held their congress at the Osogbo Federal Constituency Office, Ladsol area of the State capital.
The LG congress of the IleriOluwa group was held amidst heavy security with few members of the APC and notable government officials like Hon Taofeek Badmus, the lawmaker representing Osogbo State Constituency and Hon. Lekan Badmus, Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties.
However, the congress held by TOP members of the APC had politicians in attendance without any government or party officials presence, while officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were present at the congress.
The results of the congress were announced to the party members and were signed by an NSCDC officer.
For the IleriOluwa group, the party officials were chosen by consensus and witnessed by men of the Department of State Services, Police and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Meanwhile, some armed political hoodlums have reportedly attacked members of the party during the congress in Ede North Local Government of the State of Osun.
The thugs, according to eyewitnesses, stormed Film House, NITEL area, beside Pere Police Station, Ede around 9am. with guns, cutlasses and other weapons with which they attacked members of the APC.
The hoodlums who were reportedly led by a notorious thug in the area, Rasheed Oko-Ilu, shooting sporadically in getting to the venue of the congress, before pouncing on APC members with clubs and cane.
A former Chairman of Ede North Local Council Development Area, Comr. Mukaila Uthman, confirmed the attack, saying that he was a witness.
Uthman said: “The hoodlums came around 9am and started shooting sporadically. They beat out people mercilessly. The hoodlums confided in me that they were mobilised by government officials in Ede.”
However, Uthman said the APC have re-converged to continued the congress.
In Ile-Ife, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were absent at the congress conducted in Ife Central Local Government.
However, officers of the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) witnessed the congress which was held at Oduduwa College Ile-Ife, on Saturday.
Members of the APC in Ile-Ife trooped out to participate in the congress in their large number.
They all conducted themselves in a peaceful manner as they queued on the line to elect their new party executives for the local government.
At the end of the exercise, the results of the election were announced and copies we’re taken away by the security agents.
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