Former presidential candidate Peter Obi, former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and several African Democratic Congress leaders were reportedly attacked by suspected thugs in Edo State on Tuesday.
Dr. Yunusa Tanko, Obi’s former campaign spokesman and National Coordinator of the Obedient Movement Worldwide, confirmed the news in an Abuja statement.
The statement read, “Peter Obi and the leadership of the ADC are under siege and attack in Benin, Edo State. At the formal declaration of Olumide Akpata into the African Democratic Congress, armed individuals followed us from the ADC Secretariat to the residence of Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.
“They shot at the gate and destroyed several vehicles in what appears to be a survived assassination attempt on our lives. Democracy is in danger.”
Tanko’s images and videos show many SUV windscreens damaged, as well as bullet holes in the gate leading to Odigie-Oyegun’s apartment.
The claimed attack took place during political events surrounding Olumide Akpata’s formal proclamation as an ADC member, raising concerns about political tensions in the state.
The incident occurred just 24 hours after Dr. Moses Paul, the ADC candidate for Abuja Municipal Area Council chairmanship, and the Obidient Movement rejected the results of the February 21 poll on Monday, alleging widespread irregularities and insisting that the declared results did not reflect the true will of the people.
The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Christopher Maikalangu of the APC as the chairman of AMAC, with 40,295 votes out of 62,861 valid votes.
Paul finished second with 12,109 votes, while the People’s Democratic Party candidate received 3,398 votes.
However, in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, Paul accused INEC of mishandling the election, citing voter suppression and result manipulation.
