A protest by the members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State turned violent when an official of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) fired a gunshot into the air to disperse protesters, who stormed the office of the Independent National Electoral Commision (INEC) in Abeokuta, the state capital.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that scores of the PDP members led by the party’s candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu, had marched to the INEC office on Tuesday, where they rejected the result of the election, which Adebutu lost to the state Governor, Dapo Abiodun, who is the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate.
The protesters were singing anti-INEC songs, were bearing placards with inscriptions such as “INEC should save our democracy”, “INEC betrayed the people of Ogun”, “Electoral fraud will not stand”, INEC should respect people’s wish”, “INEC should stop being biased” and “Ogun election was inconclusive, INEC correct yourself”, among others.
Pandemonium however broke out when security operatives prevented the party members from entering the premises. During the confusion, an NSCDC official fired a gunshot in an attempt to disperse the protesters.
The angry protesters pursued and pelted him with stones as he ran away when they angrily advanced towards him.
Some security personnel including officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) were injured during the melee.
Speaking at the entrance of the INEC office, Adebutu said: “We are here to protest, but unfortunately we have been confronted by security men, shooting sporadically into the air, in the hope that they would disperse us, but we are resolute, we are going to stay here until we are addressed by officials of INEC.
“We contend that the measures by which other states have been treated and they are allowed to have rerun should apply to Ogun State.’’
