As preparation for the Ondo governorship election reaches climax, there are reports of an outbreak of violence in Owo, Ondo state, which has led to the death of one person.
An eyewitness account told Channels Television on Friday, that the fight erupted between supporters of two major political parties running for Saturday’s governorship election.
Several houses were said to have been burnt during heavy fighting also on Thursday night.
According to the All Progressives Congress, (APC), “the attack was meant to provoke violent reaction” from its members, “to cause break down of law and order, to give INEC an excuse to postpone tomorrow’s election”.
The People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), on the other hand, has accused the APC of championing the shooting and the killing, just to create the impression that the PDP is fueling violence.
Meanwhile the State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has again called on INEC to postpone the elections, saying that the candidate of the PDP, Eyitayo Jegede was only upheld as the party’s candidate barely 48 hours ago.
He also argued that the PDP’s agents selected for Saturday’s election are loyalists of Mr Jimoh Ibrahim and that they are reportedly working with the APC against the PDP.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, for INEC, Mr Segun Agbaje, earlier on Friday, re-iterated that the commission would go ahead with the Ondo governorship election, slated for Saturday, November 26, 2016.
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