• Police begin investigation
• ADC says arson one of coordinated nationwide attacks
• Calls for INEC, civil society intervention
There was pandemonium in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital, yesterday, after some suspected political thugs set ablaze the state secretariat of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The attack, which occurred in the early hours of the day, razed the party’s office located at Basiri Area of Ado-Ekiti and destroyed several valuables, including plastic chairs, canopies, sound system and office equipment.
It was gathered that the burnt canopies and chairs had been rented for the inauguration of the party’s executives across wards, local councils, and the state level, scheduled to hold later in the day.
Several hours after the secretariat was razed, the hoodlums regrouped in large numbers and stormed the venue of the planned ceremony, disrupting preparations and attacking party leaders and supporters.
The attackers, who stormed the venue in a commando-like style, shot sporadically into the air, forcing several members of the ADC, journalists, as well as passersby to flee.
In the ensuing melee, several vehicles and a motorcycle belonging to one of the journalists were severely vandalised, while canopies and chairs arranged for the programme were destroyed.
However, 15 minutes after the hoodlums fled the scene, the ADC National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, arrived at the venue amid tight security and proceeded with the inauguration of the newly affirmed executives.
Aregbesola, while speaking with journalists shortly after the brief inauguration of party executives, condemned the attack in strong terms, describing it as a shameful display of intolerance and a dangerous threat to democracy.
He said that it was regrettable that individuals who emerged through the democratic process could resort to violence and intimidation to suppress opposition voices.
But when contacted, the Ekiti State Police Spokesman, SP Sunday Abutu, said that the Command was aware of the incident. And that the state’s Commissioner of Police (CP), Joseph Eribo, had ordered a full-scale investigation in a bid to arrest the perpetrators and bring them to book.
Meanwhile, the ADC has described the attack on its secretariat in Ado-Ekiti as a deliberate act of political terrorism aimed at further silencing opposition voices.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC called for an independent investigation, the prosecution of perpetrators, and greater attention from civil society and international observers, warning that democracy is under threat if opposition parties continue to be targeted with impunity.
The party, therefore, urged the security agencies to investigate what it referred to as the “coordinated acts of aggression.”
