•Rhodes-Vivour defies police siege, declares for ADC
•Coalition party, Majekodunmi-Oniru condemn attacks on ADC members
•Warn against rising authoritarianism in Nigeria

Miscreants, suspected to be political thugs, yesterday, invaded a rally organised by the Lagos State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), led by a former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola.

The rally, held at Lion Field in Alimosho Local Council of the state, was organised to receive and welcome the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, and the party’s 2023 governorship flag bearer in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.

It was gathered that shortly after the kick-off of the programme, miscreants stormed the venue and sacked all the participants.
The rally was also organised to sensitise residents on the importance of obtaining their Permanent Voter Card (PVC), and urge members to mobilise youths to register during the exercise in preparation for the 2027 general elections in the state.

The miscreants, who were suspected to be supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, inflicted varying degrees of injuries on their victims.

However, policemen deployed from Lagos State Police Command were apparently overwhelmed as the miscreants went berserk, sending everyone in different directions.

Despite the police takeover of the venue earlier chosen for his declaration of defection to the ADC on Saturday and suspected attacks on a church premises later chosen as an alternative, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour has gone ahead to make good his planned action. Rhodes-Vivour said: “We are not holding a political rally, but we are holding a political meeting, which we have constitutional rights to do.

However, we will go right now to meet with the Commissioner of Police to know why his men are here and find out if their presence is to carry out their constitutional duty of providing security and protection or what.”

Meanwhile, Publicity Secretary, Lagos chapter of the APC, Seye Oladejo, when contacted, absolved the ruling party of involvement in the incident. Oladejo said: “The opposition is certainly not helping our democracy to grow by accusing the ruling party of being the cause of their internal rifts.

“It is a well-known fact that the opposition in the country is a house divided against itself. The APC, as the ruling party, is the greatest stakeholder when it comes to maintaining peace and tranquility in the state.

“The opposition, as currently constituted, poses no threat to us and we are not interested in their inability to put their house in order.

“They are already looking for excuses for their imminent defeat come 2027.”

“We vehemently deny any role in the failure of their rally and want to urge them not to throw the state into turmoil.

RELATEDLY, a pro-democracy advocate, Olatorera Majekodunmi-Oniru, has raised the alarm over what she described as “brutal acts of thuggery and kleptocracy” unfolding in Lagos State. She, however, condemned the weekend’s forced displacement of residents in Oworonshoki and the disruption of opposition political activities.

Majekodunmi-Oniru, who accused entrenched political actors in Lagos of eroding democratic space through intimidation and violence, said: “These incidents are symptomatic of a broader authoritarian streak that has dogged Lagos politics for decades. From the suppression of student movements in the 80s to the more recent clampdown on the #EndSARS protests in 2020, the state has often been criticised for deploying state-backed might to muzzle dissent and maintain a one-party stranglehold.

“Democracy cannot thrive where citizens are brutalised, opposition voices are silenced, and laws of humanity are disrespected. Nigerian citizens must stand tall against kleptocrats, thugs, and warmongers.”

However, the ADC has condemned Saturday’s attack on its members at the rally venue. In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdhllahi, the party said: “The African Democratic Congress is outraged by the attack that occurred at an ADC gathering in Alimosho, where its leaders and members had gathered for a peaceful meeting.

“The ADC particularly condemns the invasion of the church premises where the meeting was meant to be held. This attack on the church premises is a profound act of desecration by a jittery ruling party that would stop at nothing to silence opposition voices in the country.”

It, therefore, called on the police to rise above partisan interests and demonstrate that they are not compromised.