Stories by Christopher Oji
The Lagos State Police Command, yesterday, said it was yet to see any empirical evidence to show any form of attack on supporters of the Labour Party at Epe, Lagos.
A former commissioner during the immediate past administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, Olawale Oluwo, had claimed that he escaped unhurt when he was reportedly shot during the campaign walk of LP governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, in the Epe Local Government Area of the state. Oluwo, the candidate of the Boot Party for the March 18 governorship election, recently collapsed his structure into the LP. During an interview on Arise Television and in his Twitter handle yesterday, the LP gubernatorial candidate in the state, Gbgadebo Rhodes-Vivour, also confirmed the attack.
However, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benjamin Hundeyin, said though a report to that effect was made yesterday, investigations revealed that there was no empirical evidence to show any such attack.
Hundeyin said the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Epe Division visited the scene to carry out an on the spot investigation, but did not see any pointer that suggested an attack.
“The police are not saying they are lying, but like the build up to the presidential and national assembly we saw videos of attacks and those who had been injured on social media. “There was no such evidence when the police visited the scene. We are yet to see anyone come up to say that he or she was injured in the attack. So, for now, there is no evidence to show for any such attack,” he added.
Speaking on the Saturday’s attack in a post on his Facebook page, Oluwo said the attack took place at the Ita Opo area of Lagos during the campaign procession of LP. He said despite the attack, the procession was successful.
He said: “This is to thank everyone for achieving a successful outing in Epe today, save for the actions of a few misguided elements suspected to have been sponsored from the most unexpected quarters, to perpetrate tension and violence.
“Hon Noheem Balogun and I were shot point blank, today, at the Ita-Opo area of Epe while leading a campaign procession of the incoming governor of Lagos State (by the special grace of God), Mr. Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.
“Gbadebo was present, being the overall team leader for the procession. Thank God the bullets missed the targets, but my special gratitude goes to my security orderly, who promptly returned fire to repel the two assailants. A report is being lodged with the police on the incident. Overall, we were well received by the good people of Epe in their large numbers. Hon Noheem Balogun is the PDP House of Reps candidate for Epe Federal Constituency, who has collapsed his large political structure in Epe into the Labour Party (LP).
“He has the support of the leaders, assembly candidates, relevant stakeholders and our teeming supporters to lead the political onslaught of LP in Epe, in the capacity of a generalissimo. This is already giving some people sleepless nights, hence, the attack. I thank him for his commitment and leadership. Epe is my community and no person(s), no matter how powerful, can prevent us from exercising our rights to political participation,” he wrote.