PDP Secretary Shot As Party Crisis Turns Violent In Ekiti

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti state took a violent turn on Friday, July 31, as there was a shootout at the party secretariat in Ado Ekiti.

A factional secretary of the party, Dr Tope Aluko was injured during the shootout, while passersby, commuters and motorists scampered for safety, The Nation reports.

Aluko was said to have been shot when he led members of the Tunde Olatunde faction to take over the party’s secretariat not long after the Idowu Faleye faction announced the suspension of four members of the State Working Committee (SWC) led by Olatunde, and left the building.

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While Olatunde is the acting chairman of a faction that has 11 out of 14 SWC members, Faleye is the chairman of the faction recognized by Governor Ayo Fayose.

In a telephone conversation, Aluko said: “I was shot at close range by policemen. As I was parking, they opened fire on me at about 3.40 pm. I went there and the policemen were waiting for me and what followed was shooting. My cloth was drenched in blood and I am receiving treatment as you speak with me. I went to the party secretariat because that is my office as the PDP secretary in the state.”

According to him, Governor Fayose should be told that the war has just begun and he cannot intimidate them. “We will never leave the party for Fayose or any other person. Tell him that the war has started and we are battle-ready and the people of the state will know the real members of the party,” he added.

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Speaking on the matter, the spokesman of Ekiti police command, Alberto Adeyemi, said no complaint has been made at the station by anybody that he was shot or that any shooting incident took place.

“Our men were there until they (members of Faleye faction) left and we are not aware of any other meeting held after they had left,” he said.

Yesterday, Faleye’s faction had announced the suspension of four exco members over alleged anti-party activities.. The affected officers are; Dr.Tope Aluko, (state secretary), Hon.Tunde Olatunde, Hon. Mrs Busola Ayobode (state women’s leader), and Hon. Olanrewaju (state auditor).

On Thursday, July 30, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) endorsed the Governor Fayose-backed faction which is headed by the Idowu Faleye-led executive committee of the party in Ekiti state.