Violence erupted during the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primaries in Ondo Central Senatorial District after suspected political thugs invaded voting venues, forcing a sitting senator to flee for safety.
The incident reportedly occurred at Ward 5, Okelisa, Amudipe Street in Akure, where supporters of Senator Adeniyi Adegbomire were allegedly attacked during the accreditation and counting process.
Eyewitness accounts and party sources said the attackers, believed to be loyal to one of the aspirants, stormed the venue and began shooting into the air, creating panic among voters, journalists, traders, and pupils in nearby schools.
The senator, who is also contesting for the party’s ticket, reportedly escaped after his vehicle was targeted and hit by gunfire, forcing his security team to whisk him away from the scene.
In the ensuing chaos, the assailants were also said to have used machetes to intimidate voters and disrupt the counting process, bringing the exercise to an abrupt halt.
Speaking after the incident, Adegbomire described the primary election as a “charade,” alleging that the process had initially been going in his favour before it was violently disrupted.
He claimed that his supporters were being counted in the middle of the exercise when armed men stormed the venue, shot into the air, and attacked participants, leading to widespread panic.
According to him, similar disturbances were being reported across other parts of the senatorial district, with allegations that some voters were being intimidated and restricted based on their political preference.
The violence has raised fresh concerns over security during party primaries, especially as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections.
As of press time, there has been no official statement from the APC leadership in Ondo State regarding the reported attack or the status of the primary election in the affected wards.
