Three feared killed as APC begins campaign in Lagos

Three persons were feared killed while others sustained injuries as
the All Progressives Congress (APC ) began its gubernatorial
campaign in Lagos yesterday .Trouble started around 1 : 30 p .m . as
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode delivered his speech , which was
interrupted by gunshots from hoodlums and security officials. It was
followed by a stampede as people fled for their lives .

Despite the chaos , the governor continued his address and handed
the microphone to the party’s candidate , Babajide Sanwo- Olu who
excitedly delivered the vote of thanks.

The hoodlums took advantage of the confusion and robbed people of
their phones , money and other valuables . An official of the National
Union of Road and Transport Workers Union (NURTW ) Musiliu
Akinsanya (also known as Oluomo ) was reportedly assaulted and
wounded in the clash .
The group political editor of The Nation , Emmanuel Oladesu ; a
correspondent with News Telegraph , Temitope Ogunbanke ; and a
cameraman with Ibile Television, Abiodun Yusuf , sustained bullet
wounds .In Katsina State also, suspected political thugs killed six
people in the Sabuwa council area shortly after an APC campaign
rally on Monday evening .
Lagos State APC chairman , Mr. Tunde Balogun , meanwhile has
apologised on behalf of the party over the chaos at the event. He
said : “ Sorry about everything. We organised a peaceful rally but
some people who are not part of the party infiltrated it and
disorganised the whole thing .
“ We organised our rally to garner support . So, how can we be
fighting ourselves ? We know that some people came to settle scores
here but that was not the right place to settle such . Everybody was
enjoying the event until the pandemonium started .“ I am so sorry
about the journalists that were hit by bullets. Our party does not
have scores to settle with reporters . We didn’t expect to have such
occurrences.”
But a chieftain of the party, Mr. Olawale Oshun , claimed that all
aggrieved members in the APC have been pacified ; hence there was
no basis for the incident. He urged security agencies to launch an
investigation .“ It could be an outsider . It could be people not
connected with the APC family . There is no rally where you have
members of the party deliberately infiltrating their own rally. The
security agencies must get to the root of the matter. There is an
external factor at play ,” he said .
The standard - bearer of Lagos State chapter of the PDP, Mr. Jimi
Agbaje , however warned voters against re - electing the APC .In a
statement by the spokesperson of the Jimi Agbaje Campaign
Organisation , Modupe Ogunbayo , the candidate said : “ What
happened at the rally was a demonstration of the fact that the APC
has been rejected by the people. Through this spontaneous burst of
protests, the good people of Lagos State have forever rejected the
party.
“ Lagosians have shown their disenchantment. Do not stop there .
Match your words with actions . On election day, troop out proudly
and defiantly to vote for me , Olujimi Kolawole Agbaje , as the next
governor of your free Lagos .” The incident also drew criticism from
the International Press Centre (IPC ), which condemned the attack on
the journalists .