Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, erstwhile National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and some chieftains of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) were on Tuesday allegedly attacked by suspected thugs in Edo State.
Obi’s former campaign spokesman and National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr Yunusa Tanko, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja.
The statement read, “Peter Obi and the leadership of the ADC are under siege and attack in Benin, Edo State. At the formal declaration of Olumide Akpata into the African Democratic Congress, armed individuals followed us from the ADC Secretariat to the residence of Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.
“They shot at the gate and destroyed several vehicles in what appears to be a survived assassination attempt on our lives. Democracy is in danger.”
In photos and videos sent by Tanko, several SUV windscreens were smashed, while the gate leading to Odigie-Oyegun’s residence was riddled with bullets.
The alleged attack occurred during political activities surrounding the formal declaration of Olumide Akpata as an ADC member, heightening concerns about political tensions in the state.
Tuesday’s reported attack in Edo adds another layer of tension to an already charged political atmosphere, as opposition figures continue to challenge recent electoral outcomes and raise concerns about the safety of political actors and the state of Nigeria’s democracy.
The incident comes barely 24 hours after the ADC candidate in the Abuja Municipal Area Council chairmanship election, Dr Moses Paul and the Obidient Movement on Monday rejected the outcome of the February 21 poll, alleging widespread irregularities and insisting that the declared results did not reflect the true will of the people.
The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Christopher Maikalangu of the APC as the elected chairman of AMAC, having scored the highest number of votes cast — 40,295 out of the total 62,861 valid votes.
Paul finished second with 12,109 votes, while the People’s Democratic Party candidate garnered 3,398 votes.
However, in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, Paul accused INEC of mishandling the election, citing alleged voter suppression, result manipulation, intimidation of party supporters, and vote buying across several wards.
