“Obasa came to the venue at Dopemu, from nowhere a gunshot killed one of the party members. As he was going, his security men just dragged the guy that was shot, they dropped him on the other side of the road in order for him to pass and run away,” said the witness, who declined to be named for “political reasons”.
One person has been reported dead and two others injured as the local government congress of the All Progressive Congress in Agege area of Lagos ended in violence on Saturday.
Premium Times reported that the deceased who was shot dead after voting had ended was identified as Nurudeen Olanose, who is also a member of APC.
Premium Times quoted an eyewitness as confirming that violence broke out after Mudashiru Obasa, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly visited the venue of the congress.
“Obasa came to the venue at Dopemu, from nowhere a gunshot killed one of the party members. As he was going, his security men just dragged the guy that was shot, they dropped him on the other side of the road in order for him to pass and run away,” said the witness, who declined to be named for “political reasons”.
“Not quite 10 minutes later, another person was shot (dead) by Obasa’s boys again, and one other person was shot by the leg,” the witness said.
However, contradicting the witness, Musibau Razak, spokesperson to the speaker said his boss was not at the venue of the congress at the time of the incident.
Razak said, “From my investigation, it is the APC local government congress in Agege and those who were supposed to be at the congress venue were there, they did their congress and left. But you know in politics, there will always be disgruntled elements, I think that was what happened.
“What happened at Dopemu had nothing to do with my boss.
“Of course, as a member of APC and a Speaker, if anything happens, he will be contacted and he will make necessary arrangement for peace to reign. Policemen were there, SSS were there, the INEC was there, so nobody should link that thing to the Speaker. The Speaker’s effort is to maintain peace.”
Speaking in the same vein, Rotimi Sulyman, media adviser to Ganiyu Egunjobi, the Chairman of Agege Local Government said the Speaker was nowhere near the congress venue.
Lagos police spokesperson, Chike Oti told NAN that there was shooting from inside the venue and a bullet hit a man at the gate of Central Primary School, Oniwaya, Agege.
He also said three persons had been arrested over their alleged involvement in the killing.
But he did not mention the names of the suspects who he said had been taken to the State CID, Panti for interrogation.
“The victim was killed outside the venue of the APC ward election. The victims and those arrested had nothing to do with the election as they were not accredited,” Oti said.