Outrage and condemnation have swept across Nigeria following a gun attack on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) secretariat in Edo State and the residence of its national leader, John Odigie-Oyegun. The incident, which occurred after a political event in Benin City, has sparked widespread outrage from political parties, civil society groups, and stakeholders. Former Anambra State governor Peter Obi and other party leaders narrowly escaped harm.
The attack has been described as a grave threat to Nigeria's democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections. Governor Monday Okpebholo denied any involvement, attributing the incident to an internal crisis within the ADC. However, the ADC threatened to take the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the ECOWAS Court of Justice over what it described as an assassination attempt on its leaders.
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) described the attack as a brazen assault on democracy, calling for the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible. IPAC urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure that all perpetrators were tracked, arrested, and prosecuted without delay. Governor Okpebholo was also urged to demonstrate statesmanship and guarantee justice.
The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alleged that recent public accusations linking the ADC to cultism could have inflamed tensions. The PDP urged security agencies to remain professional and loyal to the Constitution. Meanwhile, the Obidient Movement and the Neo Africana Centre (NAC) described the attack as a dangerous descent into political lawlessness and a premeditated act, respectively.
Senators and other political figures, including Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, have strongly condemned the attack, emphasizing the need for political differences to be resolved through dialogue and the ballot, not violence. The Delta Democrats Forum (DDU) warned against reducing Nigeria's democracy to a battleground of fear, emphasizing the importance of healthy political competition and the protection of dissenting voices.
