…Party Alleges Political Intimidation
Tension flared in Edo State on Wednesday after suspected thugs attacked the secretariat of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), vandalising the building and allegedly attempting to set it ablaze in what party supporters have condemned as a direct assault on democracy.
A video circulating widely on social media shows the aftermath of the attack, with shattered glass panes, damaged sections of the building and ADC flags torn down and strewn across the floor of the party’s secretariat. In the footage, a man narrating the incident alleges that the attackers attempted to burn down the facility before fleeing the scene.
ADC sympathisers described the incident as a politically motivated act of violence, warning that such actions threaten democratic values and peaceful political participation. They said the destruction of party property and symbols goes beyond vandalism, characterising it as an attempt to intimidate opposition voices and stifle pluralism.
In the video, the narrator directly accuses the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of being behind the attack. However, no independent verification of the claim has been established, and no evidence was provided in the footage to substantiate the allegation.
As of the time of filing this report, the APC has not issued an official response to the accusation, while the Edo State Police Command has yet to confirm whether arrests have been made or if a formal investigation has commenced.
The ADC has urged its members to remain calm and law-abiding, while calling on authorities to protect political institutions and uphold the rule of law, stressing that violence has no place in a democratic society.
