Thugs allegedly belonging to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State have been accused of attacking the campaign train of Labour Party over the weekend in Isan, Iye and Ilawe Ekiti.

“Live ammunition, matchets, axes and stones were freely used in attacking faithful party members who were peacefully campaigning for Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele of the Labour Party. In Isan Ekiti, the home town of the outgoing governor, our campaign bus was shattered and battered, same at Ilawe Ekiti, the hometown of the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Yemi Adaramodu. In Iye Ekiti in the Ilejemeje Local Government, one of our youth leaders was machetted and had to be hospitalised,” Ekiti Labour Party Media & Publicity Secretary, Bolanle Olatunde-Bruce, said.

Continuing, Olatunde-Bruce said in a statement made available to News Express: “We wish to draw the attention of the federal government, the Inspector General of Police, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Security agencies as well as the good and peace loving people of Ekiti to call Dr. Kayode Fayemi and his party to order before they start another orgy of violence and bloodletting. This is a government of deceit that preaches peace and does otherwise. It daily unleashes terror on the same hapless people it wishes to govern for another term of four years. Paid thugs of the APC go about with live ammunition, destroying our campaign vehicles and inflicting pains and injury on our people simply because a sinking and drowning government wants a second term by all means possible even when the ominous signs are there that Ekiti people are tired of them.

“Nigeria deserves peace. Ekiti state needs peace most of all in crucial times like this and our party is peace loving. We have so far conducted our affairs in a peaceful manner since political campaigns started.

“To discerning Ekiti people, ours have been a scientific and issue based campaign. We hereby implore the security agencies to call the APC to order as no one has the monopoly of violence. We will not fold our arms and watch our members and supporters being frightened, injured and maimed. We will remain law abiding but will protect our members in the face of provocation. The APC is noted for violence and bloodletting but the Labour Party abhors violence. We are determined to put an end to the party’s reign of terror in Ekiti through democratic and social means and will not in any way succumb to any form of blackmail or intimidation. We say enough is enough to APC’s reign of terror in Ekiti.”

•Photo shows Bamidele’s bus damaged during the attacks.

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