How I was attacked by ACN thugs - Opeyemi Bamidele

THE crisis rocking the Ekiti State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) took a dangerous dimension at the weekend when a member of the party representing Ekiti Central constituency I, Mr Opeyemi Bamidele, was allegedly attacked by rival members of the party at Igede-Ekiti.

Bamidele, who narrated his ordeal to newsmen in Ado Ekiti on Monday, said he was in Igede community, headquarters of Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area, to discuss an accommodation for his ‘situation office’ when the incident occurred.

Bamidele said: “I was in Igede-Ekiti to complete negotiation of an office accommodation for my situation office in Ado Ekiti,” saying, “as we were about leaving, we just heard the sound of a stone on the Toyota Prado vehicle in my convoy because I was conveyed to the town in that vehicle, but unknown to them, I had already entered the Toyota Land Cruiser my driver brought later.”

He said: “They attacked the Prado Jeep, smashed the windscreens because they thought I was inside. They even shot at the Land Cruiser when they realized that I was not in the Prado, but I escaped by whiskers.”

Bamidele, who claimed that he was attacked by ACN thugs because of his rising profile that daunted some members of the party, explained that some of his supporters were injured in the attack.

He accused the chairman of Irepodun/Ifelodun council, Major Tajudeen Awe (retd), of sponsoring the attack, and alleged that a driver of the council chairman drove the vehicle that conveyed his attackers o the day.

Bamidele charged security agencies in the state to curb incessant attacks on him and his supporters, saying no amount of threat would dissuade him from forging ahead in pursuing his political aspiration in 2014.

Reacting, ACN chairman in the state, Chief Awe denied the allegation, saying he was outside Ekiti State with his driver when the incident occurred, saying “why should I do something like that against a member of my party and a member of the House of Representatives? So, I don’t have any axe to grind with Bamidele to warrant me sponsoring attacks on him.”

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Sotonye Wakama, confirmed the incident but said no arrest had been made so far.
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