Some persons were reportedly wounded during the election into Ekiti State Executive Council of the Nigeria Union of Teachers in Ado Ekiti on Thursday.
Two other persons were said to have been arrested by men of the Department of State Service during the violence which broke out when a group of teachers protested against alleged manipulation of delegates list.
The victims, who were loyalists of a chairmanship candidate, Mr. Taiwo Adu, were reportedly beaten by men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and the DSS.
Adu, who later addressed journalists, said those wounded had been taken to hospitals for treatment.
He explained that violence broke out when the outgoing executive refused to address a petition raised by his support group – the Progressives – which queried the delegates list.
He accused the outgoing chairman, Samuel Akosile, and the secretary, Olugbenga Ajibade, of doctoring the list to favour his rival, Mr. Olusegun Olugbenga.
“Instead of 87 delegates for Ado Local Government, we were given 35. We submitted petitions to the state and the national body of NUT but received no response.”
Adu said the security men invited by the secretary shot sporadically into the air to scare his supporters away.
He added, “Three of us were wounded by the members of the other group -The Possibility- and two of us detained in DSS custody. The election should be cancelled.”
But reacting, the Ekiti NUT secretary denied the allegation that the delegates list was doctored.
According to him, the delegates were carefully chosen in line with the NUT constitution and based on financial strength of the local governments.
Ajibade said nobody was beaten by security agencies, clarifying that security men were only there to maintain the law and order.
“Before the election, the issue was taken to the state executive council and all the representatives from the 16 local governments were present. At the meeting, the numbers allotted to each council was read and nobody raised an objection. So, it was wrong for them to come and raise the issue on election day.”
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