The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have exchanged accusations following an attack on NDC supporters by suspected political thugs during a town hall meeting in Ikeja, Lagos State.
While the opposition party accused the ruling APC of encouraging political violence and attempting to weaken Nigeria’s democracy, the APC denied involvement and advised the NDC to resolve its internal challenges.
The disagreement followed Thursday’s disruption of an NDC town hall meeting in Ikeja, where suspected hoodlums armed with cutlasses, sticks and stones reportedly stormed the venue, overturned chairs and forced attendees to run for safety.
The invasion reportedly led to a confrontation between the attackers and some NDC supporters, who resisted by throwing chairs at the suspected thugs.
Some of the supporters subsequently chased the fleeing attackers and apprehended one of them at a nearby car park.
A video circulating online showed a group of young men surrounding the suspect and repeatedly striking him with sticks.
The disturbance later spread to Kudirat Abiola Way, causing disruption to traffic, while policemen reportedly fired shots into the air to disperse the crowd.
Reacting to the incident, the NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, described the attack as regrettable and unnecessary.
In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, Director accused the APC of engaging in what he characterised as barbaric political practices.
“The attacks perpetrated against our members in Lagos State are unfortunate and unwarranted.
“The hard-earned, ruinous APC is planning to destroy our hard-earned democracy by their desperation and demonic politics of barbarism,” he said.
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Similarly, the spokesperson for the NDC Campaign Council, Dr Constance Ikokwu, condemned the reported assault, describing it as an attack on democratic principles and citizens’ freedom to associate with political groups.
She said, “We strongly condemn the reported violent attack on its supporters in Lagos by suspected political thugs.
“This is an unacceptable assault on democracy, citizens’ fundamental rights and the freedom of political association. No political party or group has a monopoly on Nigeria, and no one has the right to use violence, intimidation or thuggery to silence opposing voices.
“Nigeria is not a conquered territory, and political participation is not a crime. We demand an immediate investigation, the arrest and prosecution of those responsible, and an end to the dangerous culture of the political violence we’re witnessing in some states.
“Those who believe they can intimidate Nigerians into silence must understand that democracy belongs to the people, not to political thugs and their sponsors.
“We urge Nigerians to come out in large numbers in 2027, exercise their democratic rights and vote for the NDC as part of the peaceful demand for accountable leadership and a different direction for our country. The NDC and its supporters will not be intimidated, silenced or bullied out of exercising their democratic rights.”
However, the APC rejected the allegations, insisting that it had no connection with the attack.
A former Lagos APC spokesperson, Seye Oladejo, told The PUNCH that the accusations came at a time when the ruling party was conducting its campaign activities in Epe.
He argued that the APC was occupied with its political engagement and had no reason to disrupt the opposition party’s meeting. He also urged the NDC to investigate its internal affairs rather than blame the ruling party.
He said, “The first thing to note is that this allegation is coming on a day we are formally having our campaign in Epe. And Epe is very far away from Ikeja. Everybody who is anybody was there – members, all our candidates, the sitting governor.
“So, we are too busy to be distracted. The APC and the NDC are not the only parties in the elections. And we are the biggest stakeholders in this Lagos and, in fact, Nigeria.
“If they are having issues, they should look within their party. They cannot continue to be blaming the APC for everything that happens in the NDC. They should get serious in the business of opposition. There is nothing to prove that the APC is involved in this. So, they should look inward at the enemies within their party.”
As of the time of filing this report, the identities of those behind the attack, their alleged sponsors and the circumstances surrounding the incident had yet to be independently established.