Imumolen had on Tuesday staged a protest at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), where he demanded recognition as the party’s national chairman and accused the commission of failing to enforce court judgments.

However, speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, the party’s National Chairman, Maxwell Mgbudem, dismissed the protest, describing it as a publicity stunt aimed at misleading the public.

Mgbudem stated that Imumolen, along with 10 others, was expelled from the party in November 2024 over alleged anti-party activities, a decision taken by the disciplinary committee and later ratified by the National Executive Committee.

He also rejected claims that a court order recognised Imumolen as chairman, explaining that the only ruling obtained was an ex parte order which had already lapsed after seven days.

According to him, there is no leadership crisis within the party and no valid court directive compelling INEC to recognise Imumolen or any faction.

He added: “If there were any valid court order, Imumolen would have displayed it publicly instead of carrying placards.”

Mgbudem further revealed that a suit filed by Imumolen was dismissed by a Federal Capital Territory High Court in July 2025 for lack of jurisdiction, with the court describing it as an internal party matter not subject to judicial intervention.

The party accused the former presidential candidate of attempting to fabricate a crisis, urging members and aspirants to ignore his claims and accusing him of engaging in repeated legal maneuvers in different courts.

Mgbudem maintained that his leadership remains legitimate, noting that he emerged through a national convention held in July 2024, which was supervised by INEC.

He added that the party is currently focused on upcoming elections, including governorship contests in Ekiti and Osun States, as well as preparations for the 2027 general elections.

The incident reportedly occurred at about 3:30 pm on Thursday, causing panic in the community after the sudden invasion of the animal.

The spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force in Oyo State, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, confirmed the development in a statement, noting that security operatives responded quickly after receiving a distress call.

He said police officers, working alongside local vigilantes and hunters, were immediately deployed to the scene.

According to the statement, the lifeless body of a 45-year-old man, identified as Ibrahim Tijani, was found in a nearby bush with injuries consistent with a wild animal attack.

The remains have been taken to the General Hospital in Iwere-Ile for examination and preservation.

The police also confirmed that another resident, 50-year-old Alhaji Muhammadu Bingin, went missing after reportedly encountering the same elephant. Search efforts are currently ongoing to locate him.

Additional security operatives, hunters, and vigilante groups have since been deployed to contain the situation and prevent further harm.

Residents have been advised to remain calm, avoid the affected area, and report any sighting of the animal to authorities.

The police stressed that the situation is being handled carefully in line with wildlife conservation guidelines, adding that relevant agencies, including the Nigeria National Park Service, have been contacted for expert support.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Abimbola Olugbenga, assured residents that security forces are working to restore normalcy and secure the community.

Authorities also commended residents for their cooperation and urged continued collaboration as efforts continue to locate the missing victim and neutralize the threat.