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Hoodlums, on Saturday, attacked members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) at the secretariat of the party in Osogbo, the state capital.
Members of the party who received machete cuts were seen with blood while being rushed to hospital for treatment.
A man who put on a cap branded ‘OYETOLA’, believed to be a supporter of the state governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, was among those attacked.
It was gathered that pandemonium broke out at the party’s secretariat when aggrieved members loyal to the former governor of the state and Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, wanted to submit petitions to the Appeal Committee set up by the national secretariat over the ward congresses conducted in the state last week.
The Ambassador Obed Wadzan-led Appeal Committee was at the party’s secretariat in Osogbo to receive the petitions from those who felt short-changed in the exercise when the hoodlums struck.
The development saw party members running helter-skelter to escape from the attackers.
Some of them had to scale the fence of the secretariat; others escaped through the main gate while some are still hid in the secretariat.
Many party members were manhandled and mercilessly beaten by the invaders while the committee members were rescued by the security personnel.
Oyetola’s supporters claimed that it was Aregbesola’s camp who brought thugs to the APC secretariat to attack supporters of the governor. However, Aregbesola’s camp denied the allegation, saying it was Oyetola’s supporters that sent the thugs to attack them a so as to disrupt the Appeal Committee’s sitting and prevent them from getting justice.
It was gathered Chairman and members of the Appeal Committee later returned to the party’s secretariat after the governor ordered security agencies to take control of the situation and restore peace.