*Demands Perpetrators’ Arrest
THE All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has condemned the attack on supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) during a town hall meeting in Lagos State on Thursday, November 12, charging security agencies to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.
The APC campaign council spokesperson also urged political parties and candidates to focus their campaigns on issues that would improve the lives of Nigerians rather than inciting violence at political events.
NDC supporters were attack during a town hall meeting at the Classique Event Centre in Oregun, ahead of the visit of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
The hoodlums, armed with cutlasses, cudgels and stones, invaded the venue and disrupted the gathering.
The attack disrupted the NDC town hall meeting in Oregun, where supporters of Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate, and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, his running mate, had gathered.
The hoodlums invaded the venue around 11am, forcing participants to flee for safety.
Samuel Adebanjo, a multimedia journalist with TheCable, was also attacked during the incident, with the assailants allegedly beating him and taking his camera, gimbal and microphone.
Police operatives arrived at the scene about an hour after the violence began and fired tear gas canisters to restore order.
It gathered that the situation soon escalated, leading to damage to property and injuries among participants.
The attack disrupted pedestrian and vehicular traffic along the Kudirat Abiola Way venue.
The hoodlums were reportedly heard conversing in Yoruba, saying the NDC supporters were few and could easily be attacked and overpowered.
Some of them were allegedly overheard asking their sponsors for permission to invade the venue.
There were shattered glasses on the floor at the venue, while several vehicles belonging to NDC members and supporters within the premises were vandalised.
One injured party supporter alleged that the hoodlums attempt to derail the gathering, but additional NDC members were mobilised to resist the attackers, eventually forcing them to retreat.
He warned of heightened tensions ahead of next year’s general elections.
Policemen arrived at the scene to restore order, with NDC supporters dancing, singing and waving the party’s flag as they awaited Obi’s arrival.
The party’s governorship candidate in the state, Funso Doherty, later arrived at the venue to assess the extent of the damage.
Reacting to the attack in a statement on Thursday, the APC campaign spokesman condemned the incident and other reported attacks on political gatherings across the country.
Lake stated: “We have observed the recent spate of violent attacks at political gatherings in parts of the country. The reported attacks in Edo, Cross River, Gombe and other violence targeted at party supporters and political leaders across party lines are condemnable.
“Our campaign strongly condemns the disruption of today’s scheduled town hall meeting of the NDC in Lagos.”
Alake urged political parties, politicians and their supporters to exercise restraint and avoid actions capable of triggering public disorder, as campaigns ahead of the general elections peak.
Alake, who is also the Minister of Solid Minerals, added: “We call on the security agencies to be more responsive and alert in preventing political violence of any type and ensure instigators and perpetrators are apprehended and punished in accordance with the law.”
Thursday’s incident adds to growing number of electoral violence and attacks on the opposition across the country.
The ruling APC had previously and consistently denied any involvement in such incidents.
