No fewer than 20 persons were reportedly injured as members of All Progressives Congress (APC), clashed at Oka-Akoko in Akoko south west local government area of Ondo state.
Unconfirmed report has it that two persons were feared dead during the bloody clash.
Daily Sun reports that trouble started when loyalists of a governorship aspirant, Dr Segun Abraham were attacked by supporters of another governorship aspirant of the party during a campaign rally.
A resident of the town, Wale Gidado said the clash was caused by hoodlums who asked the aspirant for money. His refusal to meet their demands led to the fracas.
Gidado said other hoodlums took the advantage of the clash to unleash terror in the town.
Speaking on the bloody clash, the governorship aspirant said it was linked to a politician in the area.
According to him, one of his rivals from his area had sponsored the hoodlums.
“They cannot suppress peoples’ wish because I have large number of supporters in the party. It is too early for an attack and we must stop encouraging violence in politics,” he said.
It was gathered that two journalists who were in the town to cover the campaign rally escaped death by the whiskers as the hoodlums nearly lynched them.
It was learnt from a witness said that a female supporter of Abraham was stripped naked by the political thugs, while dangerous weapons were freely used.
Also, properties worth millions of naira including, two vehicles belonging to the Peace Corps of Nigeria were reportedly destroyed during the fracas.
The political atmosphere in Ondo state is heating up ahead of its governorship election scheduled to hold in October, 2016. The state is under the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party. Report has it that the APC was already strategising how to dislodge the PDP from the state.
Ondo celebrated 40 years anniversary last week. Speaking during the event, the state governor, Mimiko said the state remains a state of pride.
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