The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ekiti State, Engr. Segun Oni, on Wednesday narrowly escaped assassination in Efon Alaye in the Efon Local Government Area of the state, following an attack on his campaign train by suspected political thugs.

It was gathered that the thugs stormed the SDP Secretariat in the town where Oni, a former governor of Ekiti State, was expected to meet with his supporters in continuation of his consultation tour ahead of the June 18 governorship election.

The attack was disclosed via a statement by the Director of Media and Publicity of SDP Campaign, Mr. Jackson Adebayo, noting that the campaign train of the governor was attacked by suspected thugs at Efon Alaaye at about 3:30 pm.

Adebayo said: “The campaign train was brutally attacked with gunshots, cutlasses, sticks and stones by fierce-looking thugs at the centre of the town around 3.30 p.m.

“Shortly after members and supporters of SDP in Efon Local Government had converged at the venue to wait for arrival of the party’s governorship candidate, Asiwaju Segun Oni, the thugs started to shoot and attacked the SDP supporters with sticks and cutlasses.

“Some supporters were badly injured and vehicles in the convoy were damaged by the thugs.

“This is before the arrival of a detachment of police which overpowered the thugs.

“An officer of the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps was not spare by the APC thugs as they attempted to snatch his gun.

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“He was wounded, but refused to surrender his gun,” the statement partly read.

The attack was, however, confirmed by the Ekiti State Police Command.

The command’s spokesperson, ASP. Sunday Abutu, who confirmed the incident via a statement on Wednesday night, said that suspected gun-wielding political thugs invaded the campaign ground of the former governor and made spirited efforts to disrupt the rally in Efon Alaaye.

“The hoodlums came to the venue with dangerous weapons to disrupt the consultation process of the SDP candidate, Segun Oni, but our men were able to put the situation under control.

“The police have begun investigation and arrest will be made and those behind it will surely have a case to answer,” Abutu stated.

The Star