Violence marred the All Progressives Congress House of Representatives primary election in Ward 10, Ado Local Government Area of Ekiti State, on Saturday, forcing electoral officials to suspend the exercise and declare it inconclusive.
The chaotic incident occurred at the Fajuyi Pavilion in Ado-Ekiti, where supporters of two aspirants, Olushola Fatoba and Tope Ogunleye, popularly known as RST, clashed during the primary.
Party members and agents of both camps had gathered at the venue ahead of the commencement of voting when tension reportedly escalated following the arrival of suspected thugs alleged to be loyal to one of the aspirants.
Eyewitnesses claimed the hoodlums stormed the venue wielding canes and firearms in what was perceived as an attempt to intimidate supporters of Ogunleye and disrupt the process.
Despite the tense atmosphere, voting reportedly commenced under heavy security presence, with supporters of Ogunleye chanting solidarity songs in support of their candidate.
Observers at the venue said Ogunleye appeared to enjoy significant backing among party members present before the exercise degenerated into violence.
Trouble, however, broke out after supporters of both aspirants engaged in a confrontation, leading to the abrupt suspension of the primary.
During the clash, an agent of Ogunleye identified simply as Mr Sunday was allegedly assaulted.
Another supporter, Mr Femi Ogunleye, was reportedly attacked and dispossessed of his Tecno Spark 9 mobile phone, while a female supporter, Mrs Oluwaseun Osamuwa, was said to have been beaten and robbed of her Apple smart wristwatch.
The victims reportedly sustained varying degrees of injuries and were rushed to hospital for treatment.
As of the time of filing this report, no winner had emerged from the exercise, while the Ward 10 primary remained inconclusive.
The incident has heightened concerns over violence, intimidation and thuggery in internal party elections, with stakeholders calling on security agencies and party leaders to investigate the disruption and ensure justice for affected members.
Political observers also stressed the need for credible and violence-free primaries to protect the integrity of the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
