.OYEBANJI CAMPAIGN ORGANISATION FINGERS EX-REP DARAMOLA AS MASTERMIND OF ATTACK
The Biodun Oyebanji Campaign Organisation has condemned the violent attack on members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Itaji-Ekiti on Saturday, which resulted in the killing of one APC member, Tope Ajayi, and many others sustaining severe injuries.
Several members of APC are presently hospitalized while medical personnel are battling to save their lives following life-threatening injuries they received in the attack carried out by Social Democratic Party (SDP) thugs led by a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Bimbo Daramola.
One of the victims, Joshua John, who is presently at a critical condition at the State University Teaching Hospital, said he was tortured and shot in the leg in the presence of SDP candidate, Chief Segun Oni and Hon. Daramola.
The Oyebanji Campaign Organisation warned Oni and his supporters against further attacks on APC members saying the warning to SDP and its candidate became imperative against the background of similar murderous conduct in the past when Oni deployed thugs to attack opposition members in his desperate bid to win the governorship rerun poll in 2009.
The APC campaign procession in Ekiti North senatorial district was going on peacefully until it was disrupted by SDP thugs under the command of Daramola at Itaji-Ekiti.
The attack was carried out by violent thugs who arrived in a Toyota Hilux and Tacoma vehicle, and were seen taking instructions from Daramola who was present at the scene of the crime.
The SDP thugs shot at many vehicles in the procession including the one belonging to the Special Adviser on Roads, Hon. Sunday Adunmo also known as Galaxy, in what was apparently an “unprovoked attack.”
The Director of Media and Publicity of the Biodun Oyebanji Campaign Organisation, Rt. Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun, said “It is very disturbing that Daramola was seen by eyewitnesses personally leading thugs parading as security officials, and instructing them to shoot directly at APC members in Itaji-Ekiti. He and others culpable of the breach of peace are to be held accountable.”
Daramola, who has a predilection for violence and inciting statements, was until recently a member of the APC before decamping to the SDP.
Olatunbosun explained that the activities of the Biodun Oyebanji Campaign Organisation had been rancour-free and devoid of any violence since it began. “It is tragic that within one week of Daramola decamping to the SDP, we have recorded a spate of violence including an attack on our campaign rally at Oke Ayedun on Friday, and now the brutal killing of our member today, and the maiming of many others who are now battling for their lives in the hospital.”
Olatunbosun commiserated with the family of the deceased, and called on the security agencies in the state to investigate the incident thoroughly and ensure the perpetrators are brought to book, while calling on all APC members and the general public to go about their normal activities without fear.
“I assure all our peace-loving members and the good people of Ekiti State that despite the scheming of Bimbo Daramola and his newfound desperate cohorts in the SDP, the June 18 governorship election would be peaceful and the APC would be victorious”, he concluded.
The Oyebanji Campaign called on the Police to invite Daramola and other SDP henchmen to state all they know about the attack for justice to be done to the deceased and the injured and prevent a reoccurrence.
“The death in Itaji-Ekiti is an addition to the statistics of politically-motivated fatalities allegedly traced to Oni in his desperation for power.”
The Oyebanji Campaign said it was in possession of intelligence that hundreds of thugs and youths had been armed with guns and other dangerous weapons across the state to cause mayhem accusing Oni of desperation to cause violence on election day to scare voters in areas where he is not popular.
Rt Hon Taiwo Olatunbosun
Director, Media and Publicity,
BAO Campaign Organisation
June 11, 2022
However, Bimbo Daramola who had just defected to SDP told journalists that the allegation by the APC was an attempt to frame him up and prevent him from participating in the June 18 governorship election due to his strength of Mobilization.
Daramola said: “let me begin by saying that I am getting increasingly disappointed with the way things are turning out politically in Ekiti State.
“I couldn’t have imagine in my life that Olatubosun could degenerate into such level of peddling fake news against my person.
It is obvious that APC is trying to get me off track just like the party had threatened over time in the run up to this election that they will intimidate and take people out of circulation and that is exactly what is happening now.