Olumide Akpata, former Labour Party governorship candidate in the 2024 Edo election and now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has given a firsthand account of a violent disruption at an ADC gathering in Benin City, where armed assailants attacked party members, including smashing a bottle on his cousin's head.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Friday, Akpata explained that reliable intelligence warned of an impending attack on the ADC secretariat on Ogbelaka Street in the Government Reserved Area (GRA).
This prompted the group which included former presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Edo Governor and ADC national leader John Odigie-Oyegun, and other chieftains to accelerate proceedings and relocate to Oyegun’s residence.
Akpata recounted: “We tried to move things quickly as soon as we could. We left the premises and proceeded to Chief Oyegun’s house. There is a particular cousin who had a bottle smashed on her head. I had first-hand information regarding what happened.”
He described the escalation at Oyegun’s residence: “We were right at Oyegun’s front door taking pictures when we saw people shooting.
"The shooting was so intense that the DSS men who were there had to push us back into the sitting room and we were there for 20 minutes until these assailants fled the scene.”
The attack reportedly began at the secretariat shortly after the dignitaries departed, with assailants targeting supporters, injuring several including women, beating the event’s disc jockey, destroying his equipment, and stealing his laptop.
Akpata noted that his cousin driving one of his vehicles narrowly escaped being hit by a bullet.Akpata dismissed the Edo State government’s claim that the violence stemmed from internal ADC party disputes, calling it implausible.
“The issues in the party prior to the meeting involved persons I know personally; it would not have resulted in getting armed men to come to the heart of GRA in the afternoon to start firing guns,” he said.
He described the incident as a deliberate message to the electorate: “You will participate in this process at the risk of life and death, so you are better staying at home. That’s an attack on democracy.”
The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, has drawn widespread condemnation from political figures, civil society groups, and the Obidient movement.
Yunusa Tanko, national coordinator of the Obidient movement, earlier reported that Obi and ADC chieftains were attacked at Odigie-Oyegun’s residence.
The Edo State Police Command has launched a full-scale investigation into the attack, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied any involvement and accused the ADC of politicizing the event.
The violence has heightened concerns over political intolerance and safety ahead of future elections in Edo State and nationally.
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