The Ekiti State capital, boiled again yesterday as a section of drivers’ unions and the police disrupted the campaign rally organized by a governorship aspirant, Opeyemi Bamidele.
Bamidele, who is the chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Budgets and Research, had organised the programme to officially declare his governorship ambition.
As early as 7am, however, the drivers had barricaded the major highways in the state capital and with guns, machetes and other dangerous weapons they disrupted the peace of the state capital, shooting sporadically into the air.
Eyewitnesses said the drivers might have been sponsored by government to disrupt Bamidele’s guber declaration but sources from the drivers circle said the drivers only protested the failure of government to build a motor park for them.
The tension created, however, attracted the attention of more people who were not aware of the rally as they all came out to see the gubernatorial aspirant as he entered the state from Akure en-route Ikere Ekiti.
As Bamidele’s convoy snaked through the state capital, more people continued to follow him.
It was gathered that a lot of people were already at the Fajuyi Park and at his campaign office located at Basiri area.
Hardly had he got there that anti-riot policemen stormed the place and disrupted the programme by firing into the air sporadically, forcing residents and supporters to scamper for safety. Many fainted and several wounded in the ensuing melee.
To forestall further attack on Bamidele’s political office, operatives of the State Security Services (SSS) were deployed to man the house, while combined forces of the anti-riot policemen and men of Nigerian Army took over other flash points and removed all barricades mounted by the political thugs.
Reacting, Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Victor Babayemi, said the drivers had earlier struck in the morning, saying the police were able to prevent breakdown of law and order.
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