‘APC Senate candidate alleges threat to his life’

LAGOS West senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Solomon Adeola, has accused his major opponent, Mr. Segun Adewale of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of leading armed thugs to attack his campaign office, situated at Adeniyi Jones in Ikeja, on Sunday evening.

  Describing the attack as an attempt to take his life, Adeola told a press conference that the PDP senatorial candidate led armed thugs to attack his office at about 7.15pm in the presence of witnesses and security men guarding the office.

  Adeola, who is the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, explained his activities before the incident. 

  He said: “Earlier on Saturday, I had received the state chairman of the APC, Chief Henry Ajomale, who paid an unscheduled visit to my office. 

  “Subsequently, I addressed youths from Diamond Estate, Aiyetoro, Idimu, Igando and Egbe, who came to pledge their support.

  “At about 3.00pm, I went to a meeting with traditional rulers of Awori people at the Palace of the Osolo of Isolo, Oba Kabiru Agbabiaka. 

  “At the end of the meeting, I came back to my office around 6.00pm to have a meeting with my campaign coordinators. 

  “It was during the meeting that we all heard a volley of gunshots outside the office at around 7.15pm.”

  He said pandemonium ensued, with many of his supporters and security guards outside the office fleeing for safety inside the office.

  “Many of them, including policemen attached to me, confirmed that the armed men, including police escorts, were led by Mr. Segun Adewale,” he said. 

  “He (Adewale) was reported to be in a convoy of his campaign branded vehicles, with over 20 men and women most of who were armed with guns of all makes.”

  He claimed that while Adewale was shooting, he called on him (Adeola) to come out and face him, threatening all manner of mayhem.

  “My security men managed to lock my gate, thus preventing the armed

Mr. Adewale and his thugs from gaining entrance to accomplish a devilish mission that is only known to them,” he said.

  “When the pandemonium subsided, the evidence of their attack was all over the place. Six bullet cartridges were recovered at the scene of the incident. 

  “The rear windshield of my Toyota Land cruiser was shattered by bullets; a visible bullet dent damaged two rods at my gate, while the window of my personal office was shattered, and the office hit by bullets in at least 20 points.”

  Adeola claimed that it was a clear assassination attempt targeted at his person, stressing that, “I am alive today, thanks to the proactive action of my security guards in locking the gate and thus prevent the entrance of the armed men.”

  He said while he awaits the outcome of police investigation on the matter, “we have since discovered a shameful duplicity and barefaced lying on the part of Mr. Adewale, on his version of the incident that happened.”

  Meanwhile, the state chapter of the APC said that it might be compelled to find a means to defend itself.

  According to the state Publicity Secretary, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, “It (APC) may be compelled to find ways to defend and protect its teeming supporters if the police and other security agencies cannot guarantee security of life and property at a time like this.”