Violence disrupted the All Progressives Congress senatorial primary in Ondo Central on Monday after suspected thugs reportedly stormed the voting venue and fired gunshots, sending party members, journalists and residents fleeing for safety.
The chaos broke out at Ward 5, Ebenezer African Church Primary School on Amudipe Street in Akure, which also serves as the polling unit of incumbent senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire.
Other contenders in the race include former Ondo State Secretary to the Government Taiwo Fasoranti and retired military officer and lawyer Olumuyiwa Adu.
Witnesses said panic erupted when armed youths invaded the area and began shooting into the air while voting was ongoing.
The incident forced teachers, parents and pupils at nearby schools to hurriedly leave the premises, while journalists and party supporters scrambled for cover.
Speaking after the disruption, Adegbonmire described the exercise as a “complete charade,” alleging that the attack was deliberately planned to stop his supporters from voting after it became clear he was leading at the polling unit.
The senator also claimed his vehicle was hit by bullets during the incident, leaving visible damage on the car.
He further alleged that intimidation and violence were recorded in other parts of the senatorial district, accusing supporters of some aspirants of preventing delegates from participating freely in the process.
Adegbonmire called on the national leadership of the APC to step in, warning that repeated violence during the party’s primaries could damage confidence in the process.
“The same thing happened during the House of Representatives primaries last week. We are seeing a pattern and something needs to be done,” he said.
Reacting separately, Adu also criticised the conduct of the primary, calling it a sham and alleging that armed youths openly threatened delegates during the exercise.
He said he deliberately restrained his supporters from responding violently to avoid further escalation, insisting that no political ambition was worth bloodshed.
Adu warned that recurring unrest during APC primaries in Ondo State could deepen divisions within the party and hurt its future electoral chances if not urgently addressed.
