Gunmen led by Oyetola loyalists disrupt APC Ward Congress appeal committee's sitting in Osun.

A team of gunmen led by the loyalists of Governor of Osun today disrupted a peaceful sitting of the state Ward Congress Appeal Committee who was in the state to mediate, collate and investigate petitions that arose due to the recently conducted APC Ward Congresses.

The gang who had earlier assembled themselves inside the party secretariat around 10:30 am; shortly before the arrival of the appeal panel, came in their tens smoking hemps freely, and displaying guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.

Meanwhile, before the appeal process was terminated by the machineries of Governor Oyetola, the committee chairman had earlier assured the petitioners that his committee will be fair to all parties involved. He stated in his remarks while addressing the petitioners in their thousands on his arrival that his mission as instructed by the national office of the party under the leadership of National Caretaker Committee Chairman, Governor Mai Mala Buni is to ensure that petioners who have grievances against the conduct of the last 31st July APC Ward congress are given a fair hearing opportunity, this he said was in accordance with the guidelines and constitution of the party.

The chairman who assured the petitioners that his panel will be fair to all parties, requested for cooperation in order to have a smooth operation. He said, APC is one big family that will resolve all misunderstandings accordingly in order to win future elections in the state.

Immediately after the address, the committee commenced its hearing inside the conference room of the party secretariat. Petioners were being called in ward by ward order of concerned local governments.

The committee has attended to petitioners from few Local Government Areas before the loyalists of Oyetola who led thugs to the party secretariat started grumbling that the Appeal Committee was not sent to entertain any petition. The Oyetola loyalists in their discussion said, the instruction given from the government house was to ensure no appeal took place. They believed the professionalism and passion of the appeal committee may injure the intention of Oyetola's group to be a sole proprietor of the Osun APC should the appeal be allowed to proceed in such manner.

It was at this point that the Oyetola's thugs started throwing stones at petitioners that were waiting for their turn to be called for hearing by the committee's protocols. While the petitioners were still making effort to call attention of the security operatives that were on ground to come to their rescue, the thugs started beating petitioners who sat peacefully within the premises of the secretariat.

As the beating wasn't enough, they raised their guns and started shooting, it was at this juncture that people decided to run for safety. It took the intervention of security operatives before some petitioners who were trapped in the Secretariat conference room were rescued and moved to a safe spot alongside the Appeal Committee members.

These thugs later took to the street, shooting and chanting Oyetola 4+4 just as residents along Ogo Oluwa Area of the state were seen running for their lives.