ADC Chieftain Condemns Attack On Party Members In Lagos

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress in Lagos State, Olalekan Anjolaiya, has condemned the alleged attack on new members of the party who recently defected from the Labour Party in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that unidentified hoodlums on Saturday disrupted a defection ceremony organised to formally welcome the former LP members into the ADC in Alimosho Local Government Area of the state.

The hoodlums, reportedly numbering over 100, stormed the first venue of the event at the LP office in the Idimu area of the state and sent members, including officials, running for their lives.

The hoodlums, who reportedly wielded different kinds of weapons, including knives and canes, allegedly beat anyone they caught while the mayhem lasted.

It was gathered that some party members sustained varying degrees of injuries during the attack.

Undeterred by the disruption, officials of the two parties were said to have arranged an alternative venue at the Eco Centre Event in Egbeda.

Recounting the ordeal, the LP chairman in Alimosho, Mr Olanrewaju Olushola, popularly known as Heritage, described the attack on his members as unwarranted.

Also reacting, the party’s secretary in Alimosho, Mr Moses Akujuobi, along with other members, alleged that plans for the open ceremony of their defection had earlier been stopped by the police on the grounds that they did not obtain approval.

He told NAN that they had earlier contacted the Area M Commander, ACP Abaniwonda, who reportedly said she did not have the power to grant approval for political events in the state, adding that only the Commissioner of Police could do so.

He claimed that heavily armed policemen in vans arrived at the second venue shortly after the hoodlums, who had come in several cars, left the area and allegedly sealed off the place.

In a statement made available to journalists late Saturday, the ADC chieftain condemned what he described as a “violent attack” on members of the Labour Party who were defecting to the ADC.

Anjolaiya, popularly known as AEROSOFT, said the action was not only an assault on innocent citizens but a direct affront to democracy and the constitutional rights of Nigerians.

He also faulted the role allegedly played by the police in the incident, describing it as utterly disturbing.

According to him, sealing off the event venue “on instructions from above” is unacceptable in a constitutional democracy governed by the rule of law.

“The police are constitutionally mandated to protect lives, property, and lawful political activities — not to suppress or obstruct them,” he stated.

He alleged that on several occasions, the police in Lagos had acted in a similar manner, conducting themselves as though they were card-carrying members of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The ADC chieftain further claimed that a similar violent attack was meted out to supporters of the Labour Party’s 2023 governorship candidate in the state, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, during his affirmation event, reinforcing perceptions of selective policing and political bias.

He said Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) unequivocally guarantees the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of association.

“Political participation, including the decision to decamp from one political party to another, is a lawful and democratic process that must be respected and protected by all state institutions.

“The use of violence, intimidation, and state apparatus to stifle political choice undermines our democracy and sets a dangerous precedent”, he stated.

According to him, Nigeria must not degenerate into a system where citizens are attacked for exercising their political rights while law enforcement agencies either look the other way or act in ways that threaten peace and public order.

He said, “Democracy can only thrive when the will of the people is respected, dissent is protected, and political competition is conducted without fear, coercion, or violence.

“Any attempt to intimidate or silence citizens will only strengthen the resolve of those who believe in a freer, fairer, and more accountable Nigeria.”

“We will not be silenced. We will not be intimidated. The democratic rights of Nigerians must be upheld at all times.”