By Dayo Johnson

Akure—The convoy of Ondo State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, was yesterday attacked by youths, who called for his resignation.

His security personnel had to shoot into the air before his convoy was able to drive into his official residence within Government House grounds.

He accused Governor Olusegun Mimiko of instigating the attack. But in a swift reaction, the governor’s media aide said the people reacted because they were harassed by the deputy governor’s convoy.

Stones, sachet water and eggs were thrown at the convoy by the youths, who called him names for defecting to the opposition party.

Olanusi defected to All Progressives Congress, APC, 48 hours to the presidential and National Assembly elections on March 28, but refused to resign.

Vanguard learned that the deputy governor, who was returning home after last Saturday’s election, was waylaid at the entrance of Government House by the youths.

He was said to be coming from his home town at Supare Akoko when some youths, who carried placards, blocked the convoy.

The Deputy Governor accused Governor Olusegun Mimiko as the masquerade behind the attack.

Olanusi said: “The thugs he hired would have attacked me if I had not come with my convoy.

“I will call on the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of this zone, and the Inspector General of Police to protect me more for God’s sake.”

However, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Eni Akinsola, denied that thugs were used to harass Olanusi.

Akinsola said: “Some people were trying to reverse the trend of peace the state has been enjoying in the past six years.

“Olanusi came to the town shooting sporadically into the air and it was the aggrieved residents, who had never witnessed such scene in the past years, that protested against the deputy governor.

“People should accept democracy as a normal way of life; accept when their calculation went wrong and learn to accept defeat.”