The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has called for an investigation into the shooting that occurred during a rally at its secretariat in Ado-Ekiti.
A former member of the House of Representatives, Opeyemi Bamidele, and another member of the APC were injured on Friday in the incident which was assumed to be an accidental discharge by a police officer.
The flag-off rally was supposed to signal the beginning of the campaign of the APC governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, ahead of the July 14 election, before it turned sour.
The police had disclosed that the officer who fired the shot was on an illegal duty and had already been apprehended and detained.
The APC chairman in the state, Mr. Jide Awe, however, insisted that there was more to the shooting than the opinion of accidental discharge held in some quarters.
He questioned why the supposed accidental shooting had to take place close to their governorship candidate and hit Mr. Bamidele whom he said was walking with Fayemi.
Mr. Awe challenged the police to unravel the circumstances around the alarming development and investigate the alleged possible involvement of the state government.
“The policeman is not known to us or invited by us and we believe he had a mission. With the shooting taking place close to where our candidate, Dr. Fayemi was standing, we do not need a soothsayer to tell us what this could be,” he stated.
The APC chairman also alleged, “The state government had been making a lot of uncomplimentary remarks against our party candidate and the planned welcome rally, and they were too quick to react when the shooting occurred, thus, raising suspicion.”
He, however, revealed that Bamidele and the other person that was shot in the incident were responding to treatment at the hospital.
Awe said the party has decided to suspend its campaign for necessary evaluations and review of security architecture for its political activities in the state.
In a swift response to the allegations, the state government dismissed insinuations that it has a hand in the crisis, as claimed by the APC.
Mr. Lere Olayinka, who is the media aide to Governor Ayodele Fayose, told Channels Television on Saturday that the party was being consumed by its own violence and desperation.
“We are not involved in violence and thank God the police have come out to say that the officer who shot at the venue was brought from Lagos.
“He was among the armed policemen who came with a member of their party. What is their interest in the election in Ekiti?” the governor’s spokesman queried.
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