Chaos erupted on Thursday in Ede, Osun State, as loyalists from opposing political camps turned violent at the Ede South Local Government Council headquarters.
To quell the brawl and clear the area, security personnel were forced to deploy tear gas.
The confrontation took place during a scheduled gathering at the council grounds intended to kick off the rebuilding of the local government office complex.
Witnesses on the scene noted that the friction began when followers of the rival parties started bickering over which faction actually held the right to initiate the construction work.
This verbal dispute quickly escalated into a physical melee among the partisans.
A local observer mentioned that the atmosphere grew incredibly thick with hostility as the two groups faced off just outside the council building.
The bystander described how the supporters traded insults and shouted before the encounter spiraled into actual violence.
The rebuilding effort is designed to provide a new home for a facility that was previously torn down to make way for a road widening initiative.
The original structure was a modern Mother and Child Complex situated on Agip Road, which was leveled to accommodate the development of a dual carriageway.
The morning’s event had been set up by Elliot Adeyemi, who recently took back his role as council chairman representing the All Progressives Congress (APC).
On the other hand, affiliates of the Accord party challenged the gathering, claiming that Adeyemi lacks the proper legal standing to preside over such a ceremony.
They maintained that Lukman Afolabi, tied to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), remains the legitimate head of the Ede South Local Government following prior legal battles over the seat.
Law enforcement eventually resorted to tear gas to break up the crowds and bring a sense of order back to the neighborhood.
Police and other officials are currently keeping a close watch on the district to prevent further trouble.
