Aide of PDP deputy governorship candidate in Ekiti shot dead

Deji Akeredolu, personal assistant to Deji Ogunsakin, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deputy governorship candidate in the July 21, 2018, governorship election in Ekiti state, has been shot dead.

Akeredolu, who was 37-year-old, was the councilor representing ward 9, Ado local government area of the state.

He was among the elected local government officials suspended by the state house of assembly two weeks ago.

A source told TheCable that Akeredolu was killed at the Onala area of Ado Ekiti, the state capital, on Friday night.

The source said the gunmen struck after the deceased and his wife alighted from a motorbike at the junction to their house around 10pm.

His traumatised wife, who shouted for help, was said to have fainted after he was shot. She is said to be receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in the state capital.

“They came with a Toyota Camry and waited at Onala junction, so when he and his wife alighted from a bike, they opened fire on him twice,” the source said.

“Immediately, my friends and I who were together, rushed to the scene but we found him in a pool of blood. We rushed him to the hospital where he was confirmed dead.”

In a telephone conversation with reporters, Ogunsakin described the killing of his aide as a sad development.

“The crime rate in the state is alarming. Within a week, four innocent people have been killed. The state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, should ensure the situation is tackled,” he said.

“I am also calling on the Commissioner of Police, Bello Ahmed, to address the situation, as Ekiti is no longer safe for the residents.”

Caleb Ikechukwu, police public relations officer in the state, said he had not been briefed about the incident.

The attack attack on Akeredolu is the fourth politically-related killing in Ekiti in four months.

In August, Bunmi Ojo, an associate of Segun Oni, a former governor of the state, was shot dead in Ado Ekiti.

In October, Moses Adeoye, treasurer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state and Micheal Adedeji, member of the state house of assembly were killed in Moba and Ado Ekiti respectively.