Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has firmly rejected allegations suggesting that he directed thugs to assault the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat in Akure.
He emphasized that he was occupied with a birthday celebration at the time the violence occurred.
This denial follows a chaotic event on Tuesday when suspected militants invaded the party's state office during a stakeholders’ meeting slated in anticipation of the forthcoming ward congresses.
Ade Adetimehin, who serves as the caretaker chairman of the APC in Ondo State, reported being assaulted during the fracas.
Witnesses recounted that he was beaten, had his phone stolen, and other party officials were compelled to flee as the attackers brandished sticks, machetes, and various weapons.
The disruption abruptly terminated the significant meeting and threw the office into disarray, exacerbating tensions within the party's internal structure.
In the wake of the incident, Adetimehin accused members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) of orchestrating the assault, allegedly under the orders of the governor.
In response, Aiyedatiwa dismissed the accusations as baseless, insisting that he played no part in the violent events.
"At around 11 am, I received a call from the party chairman informing me of a stakeholders' meeting, which I gave my consent to," the governor stated.
However, he clarified that he recommended postponing the meeting to 2 pm due to his attendance at the 50th birthday of a cabinet member.
"I suggested it should be set for 2 pm because I was at the 50th birthday of one of our stakeholders who is also a cabinet member," he explained.
Aiyedatiwa further underscored that stakeholders' meetings are ordinarily attended by him, alongside the Speaker of the State House of Assembly and the deputy governor, indicating it would be out of character for him to endorse any form of disruption.
"Typically, I am present at stakeholders' meetings with both the speaker and the deputy governor. This particular meeting was arranged suddenly due to the upcoming ward and local government congresses," he elaborated.
Dismissing the notion that he mobilized thugs for the attack, the governor attributed the conflict to rival factions aligned with different aspirants within the party.
"You can see my attire. I was at the birthday gathering of one of the stakeholders who was expected at the meeting. That was why we requested to shift the meeting to 2 pm," he stated.
Later that evening, Aiyedatiwa convened party leaders at the secretariat for a stakeholders’ meeting involving members of the congress committees from the APC national headquarters.
This meeting was perceived as an effort to restore order and provide reassurance to party members amidst the escalating crisis.
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